C—l

9

forests and timbered lands belonging to the Crown, it was deemed advisable to constitute the Forestry Branch of this Department a separate Department of the Public Service, and the change took effect on the Ist September, 1919. Mr. I]. Phillips Turner, F.R.G.S., who was acting as Chief Officer of the branch, was appointed Secretary to the new Department, which also took over the State nurseries and plantations at Rotorua, Tapanui, Hanmer, &c, and the, officers employed thereat. Land-drainage Operations. Another phase of the work of the Department is the drainage and reclamation of swamp lands in different parts of the Dominion. This work is controlled by Mr. J. B. Thompson, Chief Drainage Engineer, whose headquarters are in Auckland. A resume of the year's operations in this respect appears in Appendix 111. Departmental Roll ok Honour. In Appendix V will be found a complete list of those officers of the Department who participated in the Great War, and it will be seen that about 30 per cent, of the .Department responded to the call of Empire. In common with other members of the Public Service and with their comrades from New Zealand they earned the undying gratitude of the country by their patriotism and devotion to duty. Reports on Cognate Subjects. As in former years, separate reports are required to be laid before Parliament in connection with many of the operations carried out by the Department. They comprise— Surveys. —The report by the Surveyor-General on the work of the survey (or technical) branch of the Department is submitted in parliamentary paper C.-l a. Swamp-drainage.- - The report required by the Swamp Drainage Act, 1.915, is contained in parliamentary paper C.-4. Discharged Soldiers Settlement. —The annual report under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, is furnished by the Department in parliamentary paper C.-9. Scenery-preservation. —The statutory report containing details of reservations and s'at<ment of accounts appears in parliamentary paper C.-6. Advances for Roading of Grown Lands. —The necessary report submitted in accordance with section 63 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, appears in parliamentary paper C.-7. Drainage Operations in Hauraki Plains. —A full report by the, Chief Drainage Engineer on this subject is included in parliamentary paper C.-8. Public Domains. A brief summary of the year's operations is given in parliamentary paper C.-10. Rangitaiki Land Drainage. -The, annual report on the operations in the Rangitaiki Plains is given in parliamentary paper C.-l 1. Kauri-gum Industry. — The annual report of the Kauri-gum Superintendent on the, year's operations is given in parliamentary paper C.-12. Head Office. In common with the District Offices of the Department, the work has shown a considerable expansion during the past year, but every effort has been made to deal with it in a satisfactory manner. Correspondence. —This has shown another marked increase. During the year ended 31st March, 1915, there was a total of 53,187 letters and telegrams received and despatched ; for the, year ended 31st March, 1917, a total of 67,170 was recorded; in the twelve months ended 31st March, 1919, the correspondence totalled 114,065, having thus more, than doubled in volume within four years; and for the year ended 31st March, 1920, the correspondence received was 77,455 and that despatched 81,034, making a total of 158,489, or an increase of 44,424 over the previous year's figures.

Proclamations, Notices, &c., prepared and issued.

There were also issued —Four editions of the Land Guide, comprising a total of 8,9(0 copies ; twelve, monthly posters, comprising 36,100 copies ; and ninety-six land-sale posters, comprising a total of 87,500 copies.

2—C. 1,

Proclamations. Orders in Council. Warrants and Notices. Totals. Under the Land Act and the Land for Settlements Act Under the Public Reserves and Domains Act Under the Scenery-preservation Acts Under the Native Land Act Under the Education Reserves Acts and Public Bodies' Leases Act Under the State Forests Act Under the Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Acts Under the Cemeteries Act Under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915 Miscellaneous 52 15 6 3 90 201 105 2 256 195 17 6 10 10 7 3 1 1 2 8 6 207 2 5 9 5.1 96 21 51 308 32 Totals 292 108 489 889