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Return showing the Total Quantity and Value of the undermentioned Kinds of Timber exported from New Zealand and the Timber Export Duty collected during the Year ended 31st March, 1917.

Approximate Quantities of Various Kinds of Timber in Logs dealt with at Mills for the Year ending 31st March, 1916.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS. Auckland. (H. M. Skeet, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) During the year the timber trade under the existing war conditions has been comparatively well maintained, and, notwithstanding the fact that the foreign trade has practically been suspended, the local, New Zealand, and Australian demand for timber has with few exceptions kept the whole of the sawmills fully engaged. It has, however, been found necessary to close down most of the bush operations, owing partly to the exceptional increased log-supplies received through the unusual floods experienced during the past season, and partly to the scarcity of skilled bush labour. Although these logstocks are considered ample for present requirements, it is anticipated that there may possibly be a shortage before the end of the present year unless further supplies are obtainable during the summer months for those saw-millers who are more dependent on road traction than upon driving by water-power. The increased demand by Australia for kahikatea timber is still very marked, and during the war period the export of this timber has constituted a record. If this heavy drain on the resources is maintained it is estimated that it will result in the supplies of kahikatea timber in this district being exhausted in about three and two-thirds years, so that the position in regard to this timber is one of considerable gravity. Great difficulty is now being experienced by sawmillcrs in obtaining skilled labour both in their bushes and mills, with the result of lessened productions tending to an increased cost. A temporary set-back to the butter-box and timber trade was caused through the destruction by fire of six large sawmills and box-factories in the Northern Wairoa district, King-country, and at Auckland, all within the period of a few months. With only two exceptions, however, all of these mills are again in course of re-erection.

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Heading Quantity. Duty collected. Value. I I I Kauri ... Kahikatea (white-pine) Rimu (fed-pine) Beech (birches) Miscellaneous (New Zealand). . ,, (not New Zealand) Tanning-bark (New Zealand). . ,, (not New Zealand) Sup. Feet. 15.214,894 44.769,516 16,975,047 456,451 99,948 7,807 46 £ s. d. 4 8 8 j £ 121,779 216,202 78,102 3,226 622 111 421 4 8 8 420,467

(This table deals with logs cut at all mills, but excludes timbor that has been resawn.) Provincial District c3 TTanri ftimu Kahikatea ; Matai T . ( .„ Others and ; , , , irovmcial District. Eg Kauri. . (Bed . pine) . (White-pine). (Black-pine). r ° tara ' Undefined. i Total - V-\ © Sup. Feet. | Sup. Feet. Sup. Feet. Sup. Feet. } Sup. Feet. ! Sup. Feet. Sup. Feet. Auckland .. .. 67(49,707,738 32,414,280 47,764,697 1,684,071 9,024,146'12 324,067 153,519,599 Taranaki .. .. 11 .. 3,424,157 1,491,334 208,061 ! 31,921 600,000 5,756,073 Hawke'a Bay .. 12 j .. 4,152,220 588,331 395,749 51,500 10,000 5,197,800 Wellington .. 31 .. 21,494,086 11,196,215 7,919,793 781,489 2,631,437 44,023,020 Marlborough .. 5| .. 1,683,518 563,955 193,419! 46,987 10,836 2,498,715 Nelson .. .. 28; .. 3,842,555 1,196,067 176,022 37,887 514,980 5,768,111 Westland .. .. 31 .. 46,165,984 16,043,706 .. .. 323,296 62,532,986 Canterbury .... .. .. .. Otago .. .. 13 .. 3,391,049 905,000 136,000 22,850 GOO 4,455,499 Southland.. .. 28 .. 15,208,362 5,475,877 485,888 354,258 3,292,090 24,816,475 : ' ; i L_L_ Totals for Dominion 226 49,707,738131,776,211 85,225,182 U,200,203 ]0,951,038jl9,707,906* 308,568,278 ♦ Note. -Included in this total there are specified—Tawa 623,342 sup. ft, taraire 490,077, puriri 50,000, rata 31,300, silver-pine 18,000, pukatea 3,300, beech (called " birch ") 5,710,060, yellow-pine 2,400, Pinus insignis 25,000.