C.—3.

95. Recreation in Slate Forests.—The shortage of motor-tires, restrictions 011 the use of petrol, and the extended hours of industry have greatly reduced the number of visitors to State forests, and it is obvious that with a continuance of war conditions the numbers will decline still further. The recently granted authority to establish and conduct recreational and camping areas in State forests is unlikely to be much exercised until hostilities have ceased. 96. Mining Privileges.—Applications under this head show an increase from 133 in 1940-41 to 174 for the year under review. Four applications for coal-mining rights under the Coal-mines Act, 1925, were also dealt with. 97. Grazing Leases.—Temporary grazing leases and licenses numbered 202, the same as last year. Five new licenses were granted and 5 surrendered. 98. Rehabilitation-The principal activity during the year has been a further search for lands suitable for— (a) The establishment of local exotic forests in major farming districts ; and (b) The creation of indigenous-forest-management areas upon which extensive silvicultural and improvement projects may be initiated. 99. Office of Timber Controller.—A policy of service to and co-operation and negotiation with both the New Zealand Timber Workers' Union and the Dominion Federated Sawmillers' Association has resulted iti a war effort by the timber trade which is believed not be be exceeded by any other industry. Both national and local secretaries of the two organizations have made production their major concern, And their achievement with the man-power available is one with which the Forest Service is proud to be associated. Timber-control dirties have become the principal work of most controlling and senior officers of the Department. 100. Timber Control Notices.- The following notices issued during the year under the Timber Emergency Regulations 1939 are, with the exception of (c) hereunder, still in force : (a) The Southland and Otago Silver-beech Marketing Notice 1940, Amendment No. 1 (Serial number 1941/102), is a machinery amendment of the principal notice (Serial number 1940/318). (b) The Removal and Erection of Sawmills Notice 1941 (Serial Number 1941/236) provides that on and from the 19th December, 1941, no person may remove a sawmill to another site or erect a sawmill without the precedent consent of the Timber Controller. Its purpose is to facilitate the concentration of available man-power in the fewest and best-situated mills. (e) Timber Control Notices Nos. 31 and 32, published in Gazette, 1941, page 3913, required returns of stocks of wire ropes, saws, corrugated fasteners, and binding-wire to be furnished by sawmillers and boxmakers. Both were transitory and are now spent. (d) Timber Control Notice No. 33, published in Gazette, 1941, page 3959, was introduced to conserve binding-wire for essential purposes. (e) Timber Control Notice No. 34, published in Gazette, 1942, page 371, was issued to ensure adequate supplies of Building A and Dressing A matai for the manufacture of cheesecrate battens. (/) Timber Control Notice No. 35, published in Gazette, 1942, page 609, requires beech timbers to be correctly designated both by species and by the district in which they were grown, its purpose being to ensure the delivery of true-to-name timber for munitions work both in New Zealand and elsewhere. (g) Timber Control Notice No. 36, published in Gazette, J 942, page 609, prohibits the cutting, sale, or purchase of Australian hardwoods for other than specified purposes except with the precedent consent of the Timber Controller, and also requires certain returns to be furnished. Both supply and shipping difficulties have made it imperative to conserve supplies. (Ji) Timber Control Notice No. 37, published in Gazette, 1942, page 610, prohibits the cutting of 6 in. by 6 in. or larger oregon or Douglas fir timber except with precedent consent. This was necessary to conserve stocks of large-dimensioned timbers for structural purposes. (i) Timber Control Notice No. 38, published in Gazette, 1942, page 610, provides that insignispine timber shall not be cut and used for other than wooden containers except with the precedent consent of the Timber Controller. (j) Timber Control Notice No. 40, dated 20th March, 1942, was not published, but given to each sawmiller ; it requires a monthly return of timber stocks and the position of any defence or emergency orders. (k) Timber Control Notice No. 42, dated 25th March, 1942, was not published, but was given to each timber-merchant; it likewise requires a monthly return of timber stocks and the position of any defence or emergency orders. (I) The Second-hand Fruit-case Control Notice 194-2, published in Gazette, 1942, page 642, and the statutory Regulations, Serial number 1942/120, limits the reuse of apple and pear cases for the packing of such fruit by requiring their sale in specified cities, boroughs, and town districts, to fruitgrowers, their representative organizations, fruit-packers, or persons engaged in reconditioning fruit-cases except with the precedent consent of a District Manager of the Internal Marketing Division of the Marketing Department (as delegate of the Timber Controller). The operation of this notice is extended by Amendment No. 1, Statutory Regulation, Serial number 1942/121.

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