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CANTERBUEY. In North Canterbury there are five sawmills established; one near Waiau, in the Amuri County; and four near Oxford, in the Ashley County. The Highfield Mill, near Waiau, is owned by Mr. R. A. Chaffey, the timber cut being on freehold lands ; the mill has a capacity of 800,000 ft. per annum, but is not at present in operation. The four mills near Oxford are owned by Messrs. Ryde Bros., J. Rossiter, E. Feary, and H. Bunn ; they have a total cutting-capacity of about 1,500,000 ft. per annum, but the actual output is about a third of that amount. The timber cut is principally birch and red-pine, and is supplied to the Christchurch market, and generally throughout North Canterbury, for buildings, bridges, &c. At Little River, which was formerly the centre of the extensive timber trade connected with Banks Peninsula, the bush has now practically all been cut out, and little, if any, cutting is now done, as efforts are being directed rather to the preservation of the few remaining patches of bush. In Alford Forest, in the Ashburton County, one mill, with a capacity and output of about 450,000 ft. per annum, is engaged on private lands, the timber cut being principally birch. At Peel Forest, in South Canterbury, where a considerable timber industry formerly existed, there is only one mill working occasionally on freehold land, with a small output for local consumption. Two other travelling mills are also engaged in different parts of South Canterbury cutting timber from plantations on freehold properties, and there is besides a limited industry in cutting firewood, stakes, &c, at Waimate, and in other localities.