STATE FOREST SERVICE

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18363, 22 April 1925, Page 11

STATE FOREST SERVICE

ANNUAL CONFERENCE,

Tho opening address of Sir IS. Heaton Rhodes, Commissioner of 1 'State Forests, at liotorna, on tho occasion of the opening of the fourth annual conference of executive officers of tho service on Monday, stated that tho past year had been another record ono. He congratulated the- officers on the accomplishment of forest conservation and on their forestry service to tho community. Every mccossivo year since the inception of the Department had been a record ono. A review of the results obtained.daring the year registered the attainment of high'levels (in accomplishment, which in some respects Vero standards of achievement for the Empire. The Teview stated that the new acreageof State forest plantations created during the year—an Empire record —was 10,963 acres, as compared with 1381 acres planted in the year 1921. The grand total area of State plantations was now 62,786 acres. The losses over 1235 acres, of State forest property during the year was approximately only £lO. The total income and revenue from all sources for tho year was over £160,000, as against £BSOO in the year 1920. The total forest protection administration and inanageinent ehsrges wero approximately £40,000, while £77.000 was applied to the creation of new timber plantations and other forestry works •( a pormanent capital character. A substantial surplus would bo applied to the payment of allocations to local bodies for road improvements in tho forest districts, and to the formation of additional State forest plantations. It would thus be seen that forestry fa this country was again able to pay »» way. and produce a handsome dividend. iorest ' culture'and a deeper love of trees was given ■ a fillip' during the year by the launching of the schools forestry movement by the Educar tion Department, in co-operation with the Service. The unique progress that had been made in' improved nursery propagation practice in several of the Service nurseries was to be specially commended, for those improvements were directly resulting m cheaper . and better trees, and-the permanent installation of true mass production methods, lhe outstanding feature of the forest products • reiearch. work for the past year was the Dominion Bnilding Conference, which directed the attention of tho public _as never before - to the necessity of eliminating waste in the Utilisation of timber, and especially to the use of preservative treatment and of proper ' seasoning to securo this end. _ . The results obtained from investigations taad research during the past year woro more definite than ever before in tho history of the *s Service. Mill conversion studies were com§T>l«ted, and the resulting tables had given Mae Servico an excellent control over its ttm- ' ber estimates. For the future there wore •*gre»ter works and problems to be overcome , - heftro the policy of New Zealand forests for Sew Zealanders could be said to be firmly tooted in national economy.