STATE FOREST SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1921, Page 2

STATE FOREST SERVICE.

THE PAST YEAR’S OPERATION'S. The following appears in the Financial Statement: — During last year the preliminary organisation of the State Forest Service was undertaken. This important work has involved the subdivision of the country into conservation regions, the appointment of the necessary preliminary skeleton staff, and the securing of office accommodation and equipment. During the year 1,518,75 b acres of national endowment lands have been proclaimed provisional State forests, and 269,252 acres of Crown lands have been similarly proclaimed provisional State forests. With areas previously proclaimed the total area of provisional State forests is now 5,134,651 acres.

These provisional State forests will be carefully examined by Forestry officers, and areas found to be more suitable for settlement will, after disposal of the timber, be withdrawn from reservation and made available for settlement. Proposals to ensure the future efficient management of permanent State forests are now being prepared. At the plantations the total area .planted with exotic timber trees during the year was 1381 acres. This area is the smallest planted for some years, and this is accounted for by the fact that the plantations had not received proper attention during the war. Work was therefore largely devoted to replanting and consolidating the area previously planted. The net expenditure for the year wae £79,551, an increase of £12,732 on the previous year’s figures. The revenue was £19,697, an increase of £11,183, and was derived mostly from royalties. The borrowing powers under the Finance Acts of 1916 and 1918 were increased under section 16 of the Finance Act, 1920, by £250,000, the total authority now being £500,000. ’ The unexpended balance of the total authority at the end of the financial year was £300,000, which at the present rate of expenditure will be sufficient for three years, but this does not allow for the purchase of timber-bearing lands. To allow the carrying out of pre-designed plans for systematic forest management over a number of years it is advisable that suitable financial provision should be made.