C—3

94. Subventions to Local Authorities. —Varying proportions of the revenue received from the sales of standing timber are required by Acts of Parliament to be paid to local authorities and to the Consolidated Fund. Details of these payments over the last three years are shown in the following table :

95. Recreation in State Forests. —Considerable activity by tramping clubs and deer and pig hunters in State forests is reported throughout the Dominion and there were a greater number of visitors and campers in selected areas. The camping-ground maintained by the Service at Piano Flat, in Southland, was extremely popular and was supervised by an attendant during the Christmas holiday period. Parties of visitors were attracted to Waipoua, Colville, and Moehau Forests and Great Barrier Island. It is reported that no fires resulted from picknickers, campers, tourists, or other recreational users of the forests except in Eglinton Valley, Southland, where a number of small fires occurred with minor damage to beech forests in that locality, and it is intended to patrol this area during next fire season. The favourable position reported is doubtless due largely to the co-operation of the thousands who visited the State forests in observing the simple rules regarding the use of fire in proper places and exercising reasonable care of forest growth. 96. Forest Privileges.—(a) At 31st March, 1948, the following forest privileges were held : grazing leases and licences, 221 ; sawmill-site leases, 15 ; tramway licences, 55 ; road-access licences, 5 ; and dwelling-site lease, 1. (b) Mining Privileges: Ninety-seven applications for mining privileges in State forests under the Mining Act, 1926, and 9 applications for coal-mining rights under the Coal-mines Act, 1925, were granted by the Mining Warden. Although these rights and privileges are not granted under the Forests Act, 1921-22, the holders are subject to the same obligations as the holders of State forest privileges with respect to the protection of State forests, and in all cases the attention of applicants is directed to the provisions of the Forest (Fire-prevention) Regulations 1940 and amendments. 97. Library. —Recataloguing of the library is proceeding rapidly. Overseas book orders are now being filled without delay and supplies of literature for trainees are being forwarded to conservancies. Most of the countries from which no exchange publications were received during the war are again forwarding technical literature, and every effort is being made to complete those series which were interrupted. 98. Post-war Development and Expansion.—Basic reports on 55 managed State forests were revised for the Ministry of Works in connection with regional ten-year plans. Recruitment of labour again fell far short of the planned labour requirements, and in consequence commencement of forest operations on certain new projects has again been deferred and the programme of works on certain existing projects reduced-

55

Year. Consolidated Fund (Under Section 39 of Forests Act, 1921-22). Local Authorities (Under Section 17 of Finance Act, 1924). Local Authorities (Under Sections 6 and 7 of Forests Amendment Act, 1926). 1 Total. 1945-46 1946-47 1947-48 Totals Percentage of indigenous forests receipts £ 14,235 16,023 10,886 £ 17,114 25,750 21,078 £ 6,230 6,033 4,540 £ 37,579 47,806 36,504 41,144 63,942 16,803 121,889 4-42 8-57 1-845 14-837