a—3

TABLE 4. Summary of Operations in Plantations as at 31st March, 1937.

5. Sales op Timber. The improvements in the sawmilling industry reported for the year 1935-36 continued during the year just closed, with the result that sales of milling timber under all heads (including Warden's areas) numbered 146 ; the volume of timber sold was 107,429,600 board feet and the value £124,522. A great quantity of fencing material, posts, strainers, droppers, &c., firewood, and other miscellaneous forest produce was sold under splitting permits. A brisk demand for fencing-posts was particularly noticeable, due probably to the various Government and Native land development schemes ; indeed, m certain parts of the North Island the retail price of posts has made their purchase almost prohibitive. For comparison purposes the following table shows statistics of timber sales for the past five years : — 1

The total year's cut of milling timber from State forests, including Warden's areas, was approximately 111,700,000 board feet, an increase of 27,700,000 ft. over the figures for the previous year. From all sources the volume of timber cut is estimated to be 320,000,000, of which 37 per cent, was cut from State forests and the remaining 63 per cent, from private and Native-owned forests. 6. West Taupo Timber Lands. A Forestry officer continued the regular patrol of these lands, by arrangement with the Native and Lands and Survey Departments {vide report for 1935-36), and one case of trespass was reported to the Aotea Maori Land Board. These periodical inspections have resulted in the gradual suppression of the unauthorized tree-felling, vandalism, &c„ which, unfortunately, was almost impossible of detection m former years owing to the isolation of the blocks and the lack of supervision

7

Plantation. „ Year of New Area Total Net Area Gross Area of Commencement planted, 1936. planted. Plantation. Acres. Acres. Acres. W aipoua 1925 294 1,364 12,600 £ utl P ull \ 1904 .. 871 1,558 Riveriiead 1926 .. 11,029 11,956 Maramarua .. .. .. 1928 .. 12,303 14 087 T™ 1930 33 10,634 48^510 Whakarewarewa .. .. .. 1898 .. 8,033 10 073 Waiotapu .. .. .. 1901 .. 7'q5] 7*974 Kaingaroa 1913 5,568 259,' 193 327^931 Bma .. .. .. .. 1930 224 2,937 5,592 _ 1927 .. 17,196 33,689 Golden Downs . . . . .. 1927 47 19 292 22 527 Westland 1922 .. 3,000 5',839 Hanmer .. .. .. .. 1901 74 7,775 10 372 Balmoral .. .. .. .. 1916 311 21,074 24'000 Eyrewell 1928 34 18,340 19^266 Naseby •• •• •• 1900 .. 3,009 4 032 Dusk 7 •• •• 1898 .. 4,470 6 866 Conical Hills .. .. .. 1903 .. 3 612 3'798 Pfer- 1915 .. ''565 3 ' 628 -Blue Mountains . . . . . . 1925 .. 8 775 q fifil Pebbly Hills 1930 .. 4 ; 3 53 Minor areas .. .. .. 1875-1935 116 1,287 6,492 Totals ■■ •• •• 6,701 426,163 592,781

Year ' | N Sale e s r0f Quantity sold. Sale Price. Board Feet. £ 1932-33 .. .. 51 32,314,954 35,633 1933-34 .. .. 83 49,026,302 52,118 1934-35 .. .. 117 65,302,700 71,243 1935-36 .. .. 130 102,219,800 131,447 1936-37 .. .. 146 107,429,600 124,522