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CHAPTER YI—COMMERCIAL DIVISION Inspector in Charge : Mr. W. C. Ward Departmental Logging Operations 1. Log-production.—Departmental logging operations were conducted during the year in four conservancies and in fifteen forests, and the current year's production showed an increase of 31 per cent, over that of the previous year. Production statistics for the past three years are as follows | — Cn. ft. 1946-47 .. .. .. .. .. 4,436,000 1947-48 .. .. .. .. .. 5,818,000 1948-49 .. .. .. .. .. 7,603,000 Of the 1948-49 production, 36 per cent, was from indigenous forests and 64 per cent, from exotic forests. Of the latter, 66 per cent, of the yield came from clear-felling, 28 per cent, from thinnings, and 6 per cent, from salvage operations. Major logging operations are reviewed hereunder, and figures for each forest are given in Appendix XIII (a) Auckland Conservancy : Pureora Forest.—Efforts were concentrated largely on the salvage of fire-damaged trees, and a record production of 1,017,000 cubic feet resulted. This operation concluded during the year, and normal production of green sawlogs was resumed. Three sawmills situated near the forest are supplied under contract from this logging scheme, and a temporary supply for one year only is being made to one other sawmiller. In conformity with the policy of conservation of indigenous-timber supplies, deliveries to another sawmiller ceased during the year. {b) Rotorua Conservancy : Whakareivarewa Forest. —Production for the year totalled 1,905,000 cubic feet, of which 1,638,000 cubic feet of sawlogs were delivered to the departmental sawmill at Waipa. The remainder was in the form of mine props, fencing-materials, and poles. Thinning operations supplied 44 per cent, of the logs produced from the Whakarewarewa Forest. Kaingaroa Forest.—A record production of 2,267,000 cubic feet was attained in this forest during the year. In addition to providing all of the sawlogs for the Department's Kaingaroa Sawmill, operations in this forest provided 44 per cent, of the logs for the Waipa unit. Thinning operations supplied 13 per cent, of the total log output from Kaingaroa Forest. WJiirinaki Forest. —Of the total production of 1,445,000 cubic feet, 92 per cent, was sold as sawlogs and 8 per cent, as peeler logs. Sawlogs were delivered to three sawmills which have purchased log-supplies on a longterm basis, and to one sawmill on a temporary basis only. In accordance with the departmental "policy of setting the standard for forest industries, the Service is supplying some of the finest peeler logs in the Dominion, and 119,000 cubic feet were sold during the year to plywood-factories. (c) Canterbury Conservancy.—Small logging operations have been carried out in three forests in this conservancy. Balmoral and Eyrewell operations were confined to salvaging wind-thrown timber. At Hanmer Forest, thinning operations yielded fencing-material and poles. Sawlogs from the Balmoral and Eyrewell operations are sold to private sawmillers, while Hanmer produce is treated at the local departmental creosote plant. (d) Southland Conservancy. —Logging operations on a small scale have been conducted in six exotic forests in the Southland Conservancy. These operations have supplied logs to six sawmills, including the departmental pilot sawmill at Conical Hill.

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