C—l.

APPENDIX lII.—REPORT ON THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IN THE AUCKLAND LAND DISTRICT.

Throughout the year the demand for kauri timber has been well maintained. Inquiries for other kinds have slackened off somewhat. Orders for first-class kauri are ever present, so is the difficulty of obtaining a continuous and adequate supply of logs, owing to the increasing remoteness of the forests, which are now generally situated in country too rough and unsuitable for tramways. This necessitates numerous dams and booms costly to erect and maintain, also large expenditure in blasting boulders and clearing rough creeks; and, as the delivery is solely dependent on the rainfall, delay and deterioration ensues. This, with the loss in breakages, risk and loss through fires and floods, and numerous other disabilities, renders the production of kauri timber expensive— so much so that there seems no possibility of the present market value being reduced. With few exceptions, most companies are depending more or less on Crown forests to supplement their supplies of kauri, and five parties of timber-measurers have been constantly employed in preparing timber for disposal. One of these parties (Mr. Campbell's) has been temporarily lent to the Tokerau Maori Council during the latter part of the year to complete measuring commenced by the Department of about 50,000,000 ft. of various kinds of timber on Motatau No. 2 Block. To obviate unnecessary waste, all milling-timber in the various forests is now included in sale. Small clumps, fringes, and remnants, especially if adjoining present bush-workings, also residues on abandoned leases and cutting-areas, received special attention. In this connection priority is given to applications, thus sawmillers' requirements are met as far as practicable. With a few exceptions, all lots offered were disposed of, mostly with a slight margin over upset prices. During the year nine sale plans were prepared and issued locally, comprising thirty-five lots, of which twenty-three were disposed of, containing various kinds of timber, aggregating 31,185,965 sup. ft., value £29,113 ss. Royalty received, £42,760, being an increase of royalty of £1,156 over last year. The following table shows the various kinds of timber disposed of during the year: —

Export of Timber from Ist, April, 1908, to Slst March, 1909. —From Kaipara : Kauri 9,880,338 sup. ft., value £52,102; kahikatea 19,599,511 sup. ft., value £72,719; other kinds 117,904 sup. ft., value £413: total, 29,597,753 sup. ft., value £125,234. Auckland and other ports: Kauri 13,583,727 sup. ft., value £89,681; kahikatea 16,533,399 sup. ft., value £63,157; other kinds 707,642 sup. ft., value £2,374: total, 30,824,768 sup. ft,, value £155,212. Grand total, 60,422,521 sup. ft., value £280,446; being a decrease over last year of about 3,000,000 ft. in quantity, but an increase of about £4,000 in value. Imports of Timber, Auckland District. —From Ist January to 31st December, 1908 : Kaipara, 150,388 sup. ft., value £1,566; Auckland, 10,063,670 sup. ft., value £60,534; being an increase of 7,553,268 sup. ft., value £36,634, over a similar period for previous year. The most noticeable feature in connection with the timber industrjr is the quantity of Oregon pine imported during the period. In view of the increasing difficulty of obtaining full supplies of kauri, the introduction named is a necessity in this district, as the timber under noFice, although not equal to, is for many purposes an excellent substitute for, kauri, and stocks of Oregon on hand enable sawmillers, by recutting or otherwise, to sort up or execute orders promptly, thus obviating delay or disappointment to builders and others. Timber-floating. —Nineteen new licenses were granted, 50 renewals were granted, 12 transfers were approved, and 21 fresh licenses issued. As far as is known, all persons engaged in the. industry are complying with the conditions of the Timber-floating Act.

40

Kauri. Eimu. Kahikatea. Totara. Matai. i^'f^g Total. Value. Royalty received. Grown lands State forests Land for settlements Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 8,929,3141,440,337 12,919,9701,461,967 2,356,059 21,849,284 5,258,363 Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft 482,657 640,585 44,275 1,108,432 150,348 .. 113,715 23,07717,693 Sup. ft. 170,425 1,327,111 Sup. ft. 11,707,593: 15,640,717: 3,837,655 £ s. d. 10,775 14 11 17,069 14 5 1,267 15 8 £ s. d. 14,212 12 10 27,609 11 11 938 10 3 Totals 1,704,804 814,01061,968 1,497,536 31,185,965! 29,113 5 0 42,760 15 0 Sect', ions loaded toith value of I 790,000 I 81,733] 9,000| timber: — I 1,271,598| I 503 1 8| I ] 280,533 I 110,000 | I •• Timber measure/ d and disposed of for Edit i .. i ... r .. i ication De% xirtment : — I I 69,688 I I I 69,688| I 65 13 10| In addition to the above, the following quantity was measured on Motatau No. 2 Block, for the Tokerau Maori Council :— I 1,156,558| 1,676,642,18,970,798 :377,980j738~, 948;l,122,663|24,043,589| Total quantity measured during year, 56,570,840 sup. ft.