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PART I—REPORT ON THIRD WORLD FORESTRY CONGRESS (Held at Helsinki, 10th to 20th July, 1949) Submitted by the New Zealand Delegates CHAPTER I—INTRODUCTION 1. Invitation to Congress.—The first World Forestry Congress, arranged by the International Institute of Agriculture, was held in Rome in 1926. The second World Forestry Congress took place in Budapest in 1936. The third Congress, which was to have been held in Finland in 1940, was cancelled on account of the war. In September, 1947, the annual Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) included in its resolutions the unanimous wish that Finland should accept the task of the host country for the World Forestry Congress planned for 1949. The Finnish Government accepted the proposal and set up an Organizing Committee which, in consultation with FAO, fixed the date, agenda, and rules, and issued invitations to representatives of forestry and forest industries in all countries to attend the third World Forestry Congress to be held in Helsinki in July, 1949. 2. Composition of New Zealand Delegation—ln view of the industrial as well as technical scope of the Congress, and the fact that it was to be held in Scandinavia, where advanced methods in the sawmilling industry are particularly applicable to current development in New Zealand, the Government decided to send a delegation of three representing the Forest Service, the employers, and the employees respectively of the New Zealand milling industry. The delegates were — (i) Mr. T. T. C. Birch, Inspector in Charge of Training and Research, New Zealand Forest Service. (ii) Mr. K. C. A. Carter, Vice-President, Dominion Federated Sawmillers'' Association. (iii) Mr. J. Freeman, Vice-President, New Zealand Timber Workers' Union. 3. Itineraries of Delegates.—Mr. Birch left New Zealand on 7th May and, with Mr. Carter and Mr. Freeman, flew from London to Stockholm, en route to Helsinki, on sth July. After the Congress Mr. Birch investigated forestry education and research in Scandinavia and Europe, and interviewed in London a number of applicants for professional appointments to the New Zealand Forest Service. He returned to New Zealand on 30th November. Mr. Carter decided, instead of proceeding direct to Europe, to study briefly en route at his own expense the milling industry in the region of Vancouver, British Colombia. He arrived in London on 2nd July. After the Congress Mr. Carter spent four weeks investigating the sawn-timber industry in Finland, Sweden, and Norway; Jhe returned to New Zealand on 3rd September. Mr. Freeman left New Zealand on 14th May, proceeding direct to the United Kingdom. After the Congress he investigated the Scandinavian milling industry in general, and man-power organization and employer-employee relations in particular ; he returned to New Zealand on 26th'September.

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