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for lining houses and making butter-boxes. Sometimes infested by an insect commonly known as the " borer," which militates against its durability. One mill at work on freehold timber ; Crown land timber untouched. Value, 10s. per 100 sup. ft., sawn at mill. Chiefly used in the district. 31. Black-birch (Beech, Tawhai rauriki).—Found mostly in hilly country. 800,000 sup. ft. on Crown lands ; 2,000,000 sup. ft. on freehold. Hard durable timber, well adapted for bridge-building. Crown land bush untouched ; one mill at work on freehold timber. Value, lis. per 100 sup. ft,, sawn at mill. Chiefly used in the district for building houses and bridges. Bush on Crown land very inaccessible. 68. Broadleaf (Puka).—Found both on hilly and flat land. Hard wood : very durable for fencing. All m standing bush. There is a small quantity of broadleaf fit for fencing material. Value of stakes at the bush, £1 per 100. Peel Forest. 2. Totara.— Found in most bushes of the South Island. 300,000 sup. ft. on Crown land ; 298,000 sup. ft. on freehold. Hard lasting timber ; used for constructing bridges, telegraph-posts,' sleepers, &c. On Crown land bush is untouched ; sawmill on freehold cuts it occasionally for local use Value' £1 per 100 sup. ft. 4. Black-pine (Matai).—Found in most bushes of the South Island. 300,000 sup. ft. on Crown land ; 418,000 sup. ft. on freehold. Not much used for house-building ; suitable for sleepers, bridges, piles, &c. A hard durable wood. On Crown land it is standing bush ;on freehold, used by settlers.' Value, 16s. per 100 sup. ft. Chiefly used in the district, 26. White-pine (Kahikatea).—Found principally in low country, but also at higher altitudes in the gullies. 600,000 sup. ft. on Crown land ; 1,214,000 sup. ft. on freehold. Soft wood ; used mostly for lmmg houses and making butter-boxes. Sometimes infested by an insect known as the " borer," which militates against its durability. On Crown land it is standing bush ;on freehold, used by settlers for building. Value, 10s. per 100 sup. ft. Chiefly used in the district. 20. Southern Bate.—Small quantity on both Crown and freehold land. Hard wood ; adapted for fencing, bullock-yokes, and firewood. All in standing bush. So small a quantity is procurable that no fixed value obtains. 59. Manuka, or Kahikatoa.— Principally grows in swampy ground, but also grows on hill-sides. About 20,000 stakes on Crown land, and about 20,000 on freehold. Makes good rails and stakes ; used largely for firewood. Value of stakes at the bush, 16s. per 100. 68. Broadleaf (Puka).—Found on both hilly and flat country. 25,000 stakes on Crown land, and 20,000 on freehold. Hard and very durable for fencing. On Crown land, bush is untouched ;' but it is used by settlers for stakes. Value of stakes at the bush, £1 per 100. John Forrester, Crown Lands Ranger. South Canterbury. 2. Totara.— 3so,ooo sup. ft. Extremely durable. Largely employed for building purposes bridges, wharves, telegraph-posts, &c. Value, £1 10s. per 100 sup. ft, 4. Black-pine (Matai).—lso,ooo sup. ft, Very durable. Used for verandah-flooring bridges strainers, &c. Value, £1 ss. per 100 sup. ft. 26. White-pine (Kahikatea).—6so,ooo sup. ft. Not very durable. Extensively used for cheap furniture, butter-boxes, &c. Value, 14s. 6d. per 100 sup. ft. In this district the timber on Crown land is reserved, while that on private lands is not being cut at present. Over two-thirds of the timber is on Crown land, and the separate localities where it is to be found are as under : Dairy Bush, Raincliff ; Hook Bush, Waimate ; White Rock, Nimrod. In addition to the timber mentioned, there is a very fine birch- forest in the vicinity of Glenlyon Station and Lake Ohau, which contains millions of feet of milling-timber ; but this is not beino used at present, on account of the distance from the railway. D. Nimmo Scott, Crown Lands Ranger.

OTAGO. The principal timber area in Otago is that known generally as Catlin's, comprising the Survey Districts of Catlin's, Glenomaru, Woodland, Tautuku, Rimu, and parts of Warepa and South Molyneux. There are areas of bush in the Waipori River in Waipori and Mangatua Survey Districts, on Blue Mountains in Rankleburn Survey District, at Lake Wakatipu, and at Lakes Hawea and Wanaka The Waipori Bush consists chiefly of birch of rather inferior quality, with occasional kowhai and broadleaf trees. It is situated on very steep country, and is not likely to be of any use as far as sawmilling or other industry is concerned. This bush appears to have originally contained a fair amount of kowhai, black-pine, totara, and red-pine, but the most accessible and the most valuable of this timber was taken out many years ago by the adjoining settlers. Some small detached areas that were cleared and afterwards partly burned are now producing young birches that will eventually grow into value, but attention is not likely to turn to Waipori Bush until all the more accessible country is worked out. The Blue Mountain Bush, near Tapanui, is the remains of what once appears to have been a large forest. It consists chiefly of birch, and it occupies a number of steep narrow gullies on the west side