C—3

hands. Further attention will be given to the provision of safety equipment, particularly in bush and logging operations. During the year there were 552 accidents, as shown below, but fortunately none were fatal. Cuts .. . . • • 152 | Septic wounds .. .. 71 Strains •• 129 J Eye injuries .. -.31 Fractures .. • • 18 j Miscellaneous .. .. 49 Crushes and bruises .. 102 | Compensation paid to employees :

Legal (1) Forest Legislation.—The Forests Act, 1921-22, was amended during the year by the Forests Amendment Act, 1948, as follows : {a) As from Ist April, 1948, the State Forests Account established under the principal Act is abolished, and all moneys standing to the credit of that account are transferred to the Public Works Account. All moneys which would have been payable into the State Forests Account are now credited to such funds or accounts as the Minister of Finance may determine. All expenditures under the Act are now paid out of moneys from time to time appropriated by Parliament for the purpose. In effect, all expenditure is now a charge on the Consolidated Fund, and not on a separate account as hitherto. In consequence, the amending Act repeals sections 36, 37, 39, and 40 of the Forests Act, 1921-22, and makes the necessary changes in all other statutes affected. Existing payments of fifths and tenths of revenue to County Councils are maintained. . . (b) Provision is made for the setting-apart of sanctuaries withm State forests tor the preservation of indigenous flora and fauna. The constitution of such a sanctuary does not remove the "area affected from State forest, but requires the provisions of the Forests Act as to State forests to be applied in a manner which will maintain the purposes of the sanctuary. (c) The Minister is authorized to acquire and to dispose of shares in companies. id) Powers are also given to deal with the importation and exportation of any tree, tree-seed, timber, or timber product to ensure freedom from disease or insect infestation. These powers are in substitution of section 20 of the Statutes Amendment Act, 1947, which authorized the making of regulations for this purpose. , . Additional powers to make regulations are given to deal with machinery matters relating to imports and exports ; also for prescribing the uses, naming, manufacture, drying, treating, grading, handling, sale, supply, custribution, and disposal of timber and manufactured timber products, and for restricting or preventing the use, sale, or disposal of timbers which are in short supply or which require to be conserved. The latter powers replace certain of the powers of the Timber Emergency Regulations 1939 and amendments which were revoked by section 2 of the Supply Regulations Amendment Act, 1948. Power is given also for the constitution, appointment, or election of advisory committees.

54

Year. Total Payments. Total Wages. Compensation per Centum of Wages (Approximately). £ £ £ s. d. 1944-45 5,774 292,483 1 19 5 1945-46 5,548 349,863 1 11 9 1946-47 8,708 497,615 1 15 0 1947-48 6,232 629,948 0 19 10 1948-49 11,988 742,647 1 12 5