C—3

From plant and equipment purchased by the Government in the Pacific this Service has received 16 tractors, 1 tractor-transporter, 2 logging-arches, 2 loading-cranes, 8 winches, and 5 road-graders. In addition, 2 new tractors that had been on order for some time came to hand. This equipment has been distributed as follows : Auckland, 4 tractors, 3 winches, 1 road-grader ; Rotorua, 11 tractors, 3 winches, 3 road-graders, the tractor-transformer, logging-arches, and loading-cranes; Wellington, 1 tractor; Nelson, 1 tractor, 1 road-grader ; Westland, 1 tractor ; Southland, 2 winches. 60. Communications. —Eight miles of new telephone lines were erected and 2 miles of existing line were converted from earth-working circuit to metallic circuit during the year, making an aggregate length of 469 miles, of which 174 miles are of metallic circuit, A total of 260 instruments is now installed. The 14-mile Benneydale-Pureora line is almost complete and will shortly provide an important amenity to the Pureora logging scheme and village settlement. Forty portable telephones—United States Army pattern —were acquired for field use. The installation of a radio-telephone network was commenced in the Auckland Conservancy, the control station to be at the Riverhead Forest and other stations at Kaikohe, Waipoua, Great Barrier Island, Te Kuiti, and Pureora, with extensions to other managed forests to follow. The allocation of a separate frequency for this network to avoid interference with the Rotorua stations is under consideration by the Post and Telegraph Department. In the Rotorua Conservancy two private afforestation companies have provided radio stations at Tokoroa and Matahina to receive fire-weather reports from Kaingaroa and for emergency two-way communication, these stations using the frequency 2,760 kc./s. and forming part of the Forest Service network. The transmission of fire-weather reports from Kaingaroa to Head Office, Wellington, was effected by radio telephone via the Makara receiving-station on the frequency 5,990 kc./s. and proved a much more rapid method than that provided by telegraph. Radio equipment is being obtained from War Assets Realization Board as it becomes available, and is altered, if necessary, for Forest Service requirements. The modification of a light-weight Army model is being carried out, and preliminary tests encourage the view that it will be suitable for use over short distances in rough country. 61. Community Planning.—Owing to shortage of labour and materials, not as much progress as desired has been made with the development of the communities referred to in last year's report, although a certain amount of work has been done, mainly at Kaingaroa and Pureora, where 20 houses and 10 houses respectively have been completed. Officers of the Housing Division continue to give assistance in the planning of these forest villages. CHAPTER VIII.—EXTRACTION AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 62. State Forest Block Sales and Permits. —During the year 170 (173) appraisals were completed, the quantity of timber measured being 168,020,000 board feet (146,867,000). Of these appraisals, 129 (143) were in State forests, and the balance, affecting 51,323,000 board feet (40,312,000), were for other Departments and private (principally Maori) owners. For the approximate estimation of timber stands, 10 (8) reconnaissances were carried out over areas totalling 14,495 acres (21,194), the quantity o*f timber on these areas amounting to 107,943,000 board feet (217,415,000). Check cruises were carried out only from Conservators' offices and tested the accuracy of 25 (27) cruises. Exclusive of log sales, the quantity of indigenous timber sold from State forests was 109,941,000 board feet (75,529,000), made up as follows : rimu and miro, 84,615,000 (53,043,000) ; kahikatea, 8,461,000 (7,074,000) ; matai, 6,910,000 (4,189,000); totara, 5,154,000 (2,967,000) ; tawa, 2,088,000 (1,925,000); beech, 1,910,000 (5,608,000); and others, 803,000 (723,000) board feet. The total value was £190,153 (£104,239).

27