C—3

3. Unemployment Relief. During the year under review the smallest number of registered unemployed men engaged in the operations of this Service was 700 (in April, 1935), and the greatest 1,070 (in March, 1936). Practically _ all these men were employed at the exotic plantations, where they lived under camp conditions. Until November, 1935, they were paid a small weekly wage and granted free food. In November it was decided to dispense with the grant of rations and pay them at the rates of 9s. per day for single men and 12s. per day for married men. 4. Grants op Trees prom Surplus Stocks. Some years ago when it was decided to discontinue State tree-planting on a large scale the Service undertook to supply trees from its surplus stocks for planting by local bodies through the Unemployment Board and by Government Departments, &c., at nominal cost—i.e., lifting and packing—and during the year under review 452,260 trees were distributed in this way at a total charge of £307 7s. Based on the 1930 prices (the last year of sales to the public) the value of these trees was £1,815. Details are as follows:—

Figures showing the trees supplied to local bodies over the previous three years are—

In the early part of the 1935 planting season the maximum number of trees supplied to each applicant was fixed at 5,000, and this accounts for the marked reduction in the total. The principal species granted were P. radiata (175,000), C. macrocarpa (97,300), P. muricata (54,100), and varieties of eucalypts (48,900). As stocks are now exhausted, no free trees can be granted to local bodies this year. 5. Honorary Forest Rangers. The protection of State forests in remote localities is a difficult problem, and were it not for the gratuitous services of local honorary forest rangers and others who regularly visit certain State forests it would be practically impossible to prevent serious damage by vandalism and fire. The Service is consequently fortunate in having a widely distributed band of 157 honorary forest rangers, and their voluntary support in the protection of our indigenous forest heritage is again gratefully acknowledged. During the year there were twenty new appointments and one resignation. Forest Service local officers are grateful for assistance in the protection of the State forests in their care, and appreciate advice of offences under the Forests Act, 1921-22, and particularly the start of fires, and notification in these respects always receives prompt attention. Honorary forest rangers who immediately report any such cases which come under their notice perform an important public service.

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NU Trees. ° f To whom issued. j Value. £ 184,400 Local bodies .. .. .. .. 750 164,800 Canterbury Progress League .. .. 690 97,850 Government Departments . . .. 352 5,210 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 23

Year. Number of Orders. Number of Trees. Value. £ 1932 .. .. 127 1,847,180 6,643 1933 .. .. 73 751,020 3,654 1934 .. .. 53 406,950 2,154 J