C—4.

HAWKE'S BAY. The Land District of Hawke's Bay comprises that portion of the east coast of the North Island from Cape Turnagain, in latitude 40° 30', northwards to Lottin Point, about thirty miles beyond the East Cape, and contains the Waiapu, Cook, Waikohu, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, Waipawa, Patangata, Woodville, Waipukurau, Dannevirke, and Weber Counties. It has a seaboard of 300 miles, with an average depth from the coast of forty-five miles, and embraces an area of 6,063,000 acres. Its western limit is defined by the Ruahine, Kaweka, Ahimanawa, Raukumara, and other high ranges that form the watershed between the rivers flowing through it to the sea, and those that run to the west coast and the Bay of Plenty. The total area of forest lands in the Hawke's Bay District is approximately estimated at 1,031,540 acres, and is chiefly confined to the western portion of the district, being a stretch of country following along the slopes of the main ranges and the front hills of varying width. The approximate quantity of milling-timber included within the above area is 2,235,213,000 sup. ft. The accompanying schedules give the estimated quantity of each of the principal milling-timbers. In the Poverty Bay portion of the district there are estimated to be 650,240 acres of land on which is standing forest, made up as follows : — Acres. State forests and Crown lands . . .. .. .. .. 208,875 Crown lands leased .. .. .. .. .. .. 89,685 Native lands 338,539 Private freehold land .. .. . . .. .. . . 13,141 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 650,240 As showing the importance of the timber industry, there are numerous sawmills in the district, and, outside of wool, frozen meats, tallow, and pelts, sawn timber ranks first in the value of the exports. 3,463,942 ft. of timber were exported during the year, and 59,963 posts and strainers. It is satisfactory to note that sawmills have been established at Pohui and Puketitiri, in which districts there are large areas of valuable forest. As the bulk of the sawn timber from these places must necessarily come through Napier, it follows that the port and trade of the town will reap immense benefits from the further development of the industry in its vicinity.

Forests on Crown Lands leased or Unoccupied.

24

Survey District. Area. Remarks. Matakaoa East Waiapu Hikurangi Mata Mangaoporo Tutamoe Raukumara East Urutawa Acres. 7,500 1,000 57,000 3,000 3,100 8,000 820 4,000 30,000 20,000 2,000 1,000 17,000 Mixed bush —rimu and red-birch. a i) Mixed bush, with rimu and tawa. Mixed bush, principally birch. Mixed bush, a little rimu and red-birch. 3) I) Mixed bush. Mixed bush—matai, kahikatea, and a little totara. Motu Moanui Waimata Whangara Ngatapa ii ii a II ' 3? 53 Light bush and scrub. Waikaremoana Tuahu Waiau State forests and other reserves in . Poverty Bay Nuhaka Waitara and Mangahopai Tarawera Pohui Maungaharuru Kaweka Patoka 15,000 15,000 14,000 104,960 6,000 5,200 1,400 3,000 4,000 51,800 700 10,000 27,700 28,000 41,200 8,700 3,000 33 Mixed bush, chiefly birch on ridges, with tawa and pines in gullies. Ditto. Mixed bush, rimu, beech, tawa, &c. Mixed bush, principally birch. Principally birch, though good timber is scattered throughout the gullies. Mixed bush, containing rimu, tawa, and birch. Mixed bush —rimu, rata, birch. Mixed bush. Mixed bush —rimu, matai, and kahikatea. Mixed bush—tawa, rimu, hinau, &c. Principally red and black birch, with a little rimu. Mixed bush, with rimu and white-pine. Mostly red and black birch, with a little rimu. Some fine rimu timber in mixed bush. Birch and mixed timber. Rimu, matai, white-pine, and mixed forest. Rata, rimu, and mixed bush. Originally rimu, matai, and totara, but mostly red and black birch, rata, &c. Mixed forest, containing rimu, matai, and white-pine. Mostly scrubby bush, with little valuable timber. Tawa, rata, and rimu scattered through scrubby bush. Ngaruroro Wakarara Makaretu Norsewood .. ... Woodville Tahoraite Mangatoro Weber Tautane ; l"3I Total • • •• 24,800 1,500 500 536,680