C—l 2

As it was found impossible, owing to the extent oi" the country to be traversed, and also 'on account of numerous reserves that your Commission werf requested to inspect, not included in our itinerary, we were reluctantly com pelled to ask for an extension of time within which to present our report. This was sanctioned, and the period of your Commission was extended to the 31st May, inclusive. On the 3rd May your Commission divided into three parts : Mr. Haszard (Chairman), Dr. Cockayne, and Mr. E. Phillips Turner (Secretary) remaining in Wellington, in order to draw up a provisional draft of the report. Messrs. Clarke, Lethbridge, and Murdoch proceeded to Auckland, and from that centre visited the kauri-gum reserves at Waitakerei and Swanson, and took informal evidence from residents in the district. On the 9th May the same subcommittee inspected the very interesting gum plantations of Mr. R. Reynolds, referred to in Appendix C. On the 9th May Mr. Haszard (Chairman) proceeded to Taumarunui in order to join the Auckland party, and with them examine certain forest lands and sawmills in the vicinity of the Main Trunk line. On the 10th instant, the above subcommittee visited the sawmill at Mananui of Messrs. Ellis and Burnand, under the guidance of Mr. J. W. Ellis. An automatic dovetail-jointing machine was seen in operation. This constructs wide boards suitable for making butter-boxes out of narrow pieces of white-pine. This renders possible the utilization of what has hitherto been a waste product, and, should the machine come into general use, a considerable saving in the conversion of white-pine will be effected. Samples of the jointed wood were secured as an exhibit for your Commissioners. On the 12th May the subcommittee inspected in the morning the Government sawmill at Kakahi, as also the adjoining forest, and in the afternoon visited the forest at Owhango, reaching Ohakune the same evening. On the 12th May the subcommittee proceeded to Marton, where the next morning various plantations were visited, and in the afternoon the train was taken to Wellington. On the 3rd May Mr. T. W. Adams, who had been detailed to report on various matters in the South Island, and to visit the Government plantations at Conical Hills, which bad weather had prevented your Commission inspecting when at Tapanui, proceeded to Christchurch. On the 6th May Mr. Adams made inquiries regarding the conversion of Pinus radiata (generally known as Pinus insignis) in Canterbury. On the 7th May Mr. Adams proceeded from Greendale to Christchurch, and took photographs and measurements of poplars growing upon the banks of the River Avon. The next day Invercargill was reached, and on the 9th instant Mr. Adams proceeded to Queenstown, and on the following day inspected the plantations in the vicinity, and visited a certain Government reserve in order to ascertain its suitability for tree-planting. On the 12th May Mr. Adams proceeded to Tapanui, and the next day, in company with Mr. R. G. Robinson, Superintending Nurseryman for the South Island, inspected the Conical Hills plantation, and reached Waiwera the same evening. The next day Mr. Adams, under the guidance of Mr. J. Christie, inspected some gum plantations near Warepa, and in the afternoon proceeded to Dunedin. The next day -Mr. Adams superintended the photographing of the natural plantation of gums at Waitati. On the 16th instant Mr. Adams proceeded to Greendale, via Norwood, and next day he procured photographs of houses built entirely of Pinus radiata. On the 19th May Mr. Adams proceeded to Wellington to join the other members of your Commission. On the 20th instant your Commission assembled at the Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, to draft their report. On the 22nd May your Commission divided into two subcommittees, one, consisting of Messrs. Haszard (Chairman) and Adams and Dr. Cockayne, remaining in Wellington in order to prepare a draft of the report; and the other, consisting of Messrs. Clarke, Lethbridge, and Murdoch, visited the forest reserve near Woodville, and reached Feilding the same evening, inspecting en route the Mangoira, the Mangawharariki, and Rewa Forest Reserves. On the 24th May, in company with Mr. K. Dalrymple, the same subcommittee visited McKelvie's run on the

XI