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of the type which gave such satisfactory performance last year are in course of .construction and will be completed in time for the next fire season. Three hose-layers built on the same type of chassis as the fire-engines and water-tankers and fitted with E.P.S. fire-pump units Were completed, making a total of 7. During the dry period of February, temporary radio communication was provided for. the King-country portion of the Auckland Conservancy with equipment and 'personnel from Kaingaroa. The establishment of a permanent network of radio stations in the Auckland Conservancy with the control station at Riverhead Forest has been commenced. 45. Fire Districts. —-Seventy-six fire districts, containing in all 5,193,578 acres, have now been constituted under section 27 of the Forests Act, 1921-22, as amended by section sof the Forests Amendment Act, 1925. These fire districts comprise (a) 46 (total area, 4,059,435 acres) constituted for the protection of State forests ; (b) 7 (total area, 149,950 acres) for the protection of national parks, scenic reserves, &c., administered by other Government Departments and by Boards ; (c) 13 (total area, 449,554 acres) for the protection of forests administered by local bodies ; and (d) 10 (total area, 534,639 acres) constituted on the application of private forest-owners, including afforestation companies, for the protection of their forests. Four new fire districts were constituted during the year, comprising (a) 4,600 acres for the protection of forest on sand-dune areas on the west coast of the North Island near Waiuku ; (b) 83,000 acres for the protection of a forest owned by a local body at Hunua ; (c) 16,500 acres for the protection of a privately owned exotic forest near PutarUru ; and (d) 29,700 acres for the protection of a State forest in the vicinity of the Whirinaki River, in the Te Whaiti district. Three fire districts were amended, the Pelorus Fire Dsitrict being increased to cover an area found to present a dangerous fire hazard, and the boundaries of the Whakatane and the Kaingaroa-Rotorua Fire Districts being adjusted as a consequence of the constitution of a new fire district. Upon the constitution of a. fire district, no person may light a fire in such district during the closed season except in pursuance of a written permit of a forest officer and subject to taking such precautions as may be prescribed. The granting of permits to burn is not at any time unreasonably withheld, but the number of offences committed during the last fire season indicates that many still do not regard the preservation. of forest as a matter particularly concerning them, and in many cases only the vigilance of State Forest Service officers has prevented serious loss. 46. Forest (Fire-prevention) Regulations - 1940 (Reprint) (Serial number 1946/171).—N0 amendment was made during the year to the Forest (Fire-prevention) Regulations 1940 (Serial number 1940/246), as amended in 1943 (Serial number 1943/31); but the regulations were reprinted, with the amendments incorporated, as sanctioned by section 7 of the Regulations Act, 1936, and are now referred to as the Forest (Fire-prevention) Regulations 1940 (Reprint) (Serial number 1946/171). The Forest Service continued its publicity campaign directing attention to the obligations imposed by the regulations. While the majority of operators and workers in State forests and fire districts co-operate with forest officers in their duty of administering the regulations, there are still some who do -not view their responsibility under the law seriously. The provisions of the regulations include the requirement that no engine of any description shall be used in. any State forest or fire district from the Ist August in any year to the 30th April in the year following unless any such engine is provided with safe and efficient means for preventing the escape of dangerous sparks or flame from funnel or exhaust and for preventing the escape of live coals or fire from ash-pan or fire-box ; and also the requirement that every person in a State forest or in a fire district or in a privately owned forest shall cease work and endeavour to suppress any

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