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REPORT

CHAPTER I—SUMMARY AND REVIEW 1. Management.—The national forest estate was augmented by 84,201 acres while 5,453 acres were withdrawn from reservation, so that at the 31st March the area of State forest land was 9,433,632 acres. The new area planted during the year was 4,879 acres which is the highest since 1939. During the year 14 working plans were completed and work was in progress on 40 others. Timber appraised amounts to 184,221,000 board feet. 2. Public and Private Forestry.—Changes have been made in taxation law relating to farm forestry, and the method of assessment of the incomes of forestry companies is to be varied. Forest-extension activities by the Forest Service are to be expanded. 3. Development.—A further 400,000 acres were covered by the national forest survey, bringing the total area covered to 2,095,000 acres. Three delegates, including an officer of the Forest Service, attended the World Forestry Congress at Helsinki, and reports will be presented on their investigations while overseas. 4. Commercial.—Logging operations by the Forest Service produced 7,856,000 cubic feet of logs. Service sawmills cut almost 22,500,000 board feet of sawn timber of which 15,000,000 board feet was sold, the remainder being used for boxmaking or for departmental purposes. 5. Engineering.—Topographic surveys covered nearly 4,000 acres, and 56 miles of new road were surveyed. Eighty miles of new road were formed and 52 miles surfaced. Eighty-nine houses and 328 single men's huts were completed. There were 57 fires in State forests during the year but little damage was caused; 3 sawmills were destroyed by fire. The fire hazard in North Auckland was the worst for 25 years. In the vicinity of Waipoua Forest 6 fires occurred, but their prompt suppression by the highly organised departmental fire fighters removed the threat to the forest. 6. Operations. The staff and other employees of the Forest Service at the 31st March last numbered 2,688 as against 2,693 at the same date in 1949. Permanent staff has slightly increased but this is offset by a fall in the number of other employees. The Forests Act was consolidated during the year, and regulations setting up two advisory committees were gazetted. 7. Industry and Trade.—Timber-production was 474,000,000 board feet, substantially the same as the previous year. The number of sawmills in operation was 685. Exports of sawn timber were 24,000,000 board feet while total timber imports were 46,000,000 board feet, both figures are 1,000,000 board feet higher than the previous year.

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