o.—l.

NELSON. The output of timber, principally rimu, is 11,000,000 superficial feet, the product of fiftyeight sawmills, about half of which operate mainly on freehold land. Of the timber licenses on Crown lands, the majority are under the administration of the Warden as mining privileges. As the whole of the above workings are scattered over irregular areas, this in many cases prevents up-to-date plant being installed. The probabilities, therefore, of expansion of business in the near future are not great, unless supplies can be more effectually tapped in the remote districts by systematic development. F. A. Thompson Commissioner of Crown Lands.

MARLBOROUGH. There are nine sawmills working in this district, all but one being situated in the northern portion. The total output was 15,692,284 superficial feet, made up of 14,709,998 superficial feet from State forests and 982,286 superficial feet from. Crown land. The royalty was £2,900 and £265 respectively. Messrs. Brownlee and Co., with mills at Havelock and Timatanga, who have been in the trade since the provincial days, have nearly cut out all their available timber, and will probably close their mills by the end of 1914. H. G. Price Commissioner of Crown Lands.

WESTLAND. The most important industry at present in operation in the district is that of sawmilling. For the greater part of the year this industry was considerably hampered by the condition of the market and labour troubles. The sawmill employees almost without exception remained loyal to their employers, but on account of the impossibility of exporting the output, the mills, with a few exceptions, were compelled to cease operations. The market at present is very satis'factorv, and tho prospects for the coming year are decidedly encouraging. There are at present fortysix mills in active work, with a cutting-capacity of 96,000,000 ft, per annum, and employing some 882 hands. The total output for the past year was 49,000,000 ft,, and the royalty paid on account of Crown lands was £9,536. The system provided for the administration 'of the timber leaves much to be desired, and in this connection, and also in the matter of dealing with land, I desire to record my hearty appreciation of the cordial manner in which the Warden has co-operated with me in endeavouring to make matters run smoothly. H. D. H. Haszard, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

SOUTHLAND. During the past year fifty-three mills were in operation in this district, but very few of them worked to their full capacity, most of them working only three days a week for several months this was owing to the falling-off in the demand for timber. Of the quantity of timber produced—viz., 38,000,000 ft.—28,000,000 ft. was consumed south of Gore, 9,300.000 ft. north of Gore, and 700,000 ft, was shipped to Australia consumert soutJl _ Thirty-eight mills worked chiefly in the State forests and Crown lands, three in Native and thirteen in private forests. ' The number of persons engaged in the industry was about 750, and the wages paid was approximately £93,000. b l The timber trade is still dull, but improving. G. H. M. McClure Commissioner of Crown Lands.

APPENDIX IV.—SAND-DUNE RECLAMATION.

[By E. Phillips Ttonbr, F.R.G.S., Inspector.] Sand-dune Reclamation. As it had been decided to undertake measures for the reclamation of our extensive areas of oTtoeS" d ; m v*- RUD 24 ' 1 ti6 I T Uth 0M ! le River and the dunes at the mouth o he Waikato River were selected for initial operations. At both localities the land to the ear of the dunes is valuable farming land, and the sand from the dunes is fast encroaching on to it Iho areas selected are large, compact blocks of Crown land, and any reclamation wor done there should in the future bring n a revenue to pay for, or partly pay for toe expense incurred Also, m he case of the Waikato Heads, it is important to stop the excessive sand drift which there tends to cause the silting-up of a valuable waterway. excessive sanrt-

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