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Forest-products Research. Signal progress has been recorded in the field of forest-products research. The scope of investigation was wide, and achievements are recorded under five main divisions. Timber Mechanics.—Determination of the mechanical properties of the five timber species, red, black, and hard beeches, kauri, and kamahi. Strength tests of full-sized poles of kaikawaka, silver-pine, Eucalyptus arnygdalina, E. ovata, and E. obliqua, and cross-arm tests of red-beech and hinau. Timber Physics.—Determination of the shrinkage of all native and introduced timbers, preliminary to a study of same in seasoningand kiln-drying methods. Wood-preservation. —The treatment with creosote of the native hardwoods, kamahi, and red, silver, and mountain beeches, by the Rueping pressure process. Development of a preventive for sap-stain in white-pine and other timbers. Study of the preservative treatment of New-Zealand-grown eucalypts. Derived Products.—The destructive distillation of kauri waste, bleeding of kauri-trees, and the deresinating and pulping value of kauri and other timbers. Industrial Investigation.—Conduction of the 1924 Building Conference directed towards elimination of waste in building industry. Study of grading rules. Forest Finance. The total receipts of £161,468, as compared with £93,479 for the previous year, created a new record for this Department. These receipts were applied to the extent of nearly £80,000 in the creation of forest plantations, and other permanent forest improvements and capital; the sum of £40,000 (approximately) was expended in forest-protection, administration, and forest-management, whilst the surplus of £41,468 was allocated to various county backblock road improvements and reserved for the formation of additional commercial State plantations. A capital sum of £100,000 was paid from Forest Debenture Account into the Lands Purchase Account for the purchase of 53,196 acres of the Selwyn Estate, Mamaku. The National Endowment Account also benefited to the extent of £12,611 during the year. Review op Forest Service Finance. Period. Receipts. Payments. Period. Receipts. Payments. Years. £ £ Years. £ £ 1924-25 .. .. 161,468 114,298 1921-22 .. 30,784 107,582 1923-24 .. .. 93,479 98,304 1920-21 .. .. 19,518 79,551 1922-23 .. .. 63,372 85,410 | 1919-20 .. .. 8,513 66,819 Production of Sawn Timber. Another annual record was set in the quantity of sawn timber produced by millers cutting on State forests, over 102,369,900 ft. b.m. being manufactured during the year, as compared with 52,297,000 ft. b.m. in the previous year. The State forests produced 32 per cent, of the entire Dominion cut, and in another decade this proportion will be 75 per cent. The total production from all sources was 318,000,000 ft. b.m. The gross total ripe timber stumpage sold from State forests — namely, 69,253,000 ft. b.m. —to operating millers was approximately the same as in the year 1923-24 : i.e., after excluding the large quantity disclosed of to other Government Departments. General. The. establishment at Auckland University College and at Canterbury University College of Schools of Forestry for the teaching of forest technicians and subordinate forest officers was finalized during the year. Progress in New Zealand forestry will be greatly facilitated thereby. National Arboretum at Rotorua. During the year 50 acres were acquired at Rotorua for forming a national aboretum. The preliminary operations are well under way, and the area will be in complete working-order by the year 1929. About four hundred different conifers will be represented, and the arboretum will prove of great educative value to botanists, arboriculturists, and foresters, as well as the general public. Conservation op Wild Lipe. A fine sense of public and individual responsibility is becoming more evident throughout the Dominion with regard to the conservation of our wild bird and animal life, and in many districts our useful avifauna is again increasing, to the happiness and delight of all. The Service co-operated with the Department of Internal Affairs and the Native Bird Protection Society in enforcing; the birdconservation laws—prosecutions were instituted and conviction gained. The " forestry in the schools " idea, so enthusiastically entered into by the Department of Education, is assisting in stimulating a latent love of nature and of the outdoors in the young citizens of New Zealand. Schools to the number of 765 have entered into the school nursery and plantation movement. " Forestry as a useful economy is finding its true place in the life of the Dominion."