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Export of Timber from Ist April, 1909, to 3lst March, 1910.—From Auckland : Kauri, 15,855,453 sup. ft., value £109,221 ; kahikatea, 11,916,395 sup. ft., value £48,250 ; other kinds, 179,053 sup. ft., value £795 ; total, 27,950,901 sup. ft., value £158,266. From Kaipara : Kauri, 8,738,056 sup. ft., value £52,222 ; kahikatea, 19,739,156 sup. ft., value £65,580 ; other kinds, 987,997 sup. ft, value £3,449 : total, 29,465,209 sup. ft., value £121,251. Grand total, 57,416,110 sup. ft, value £279,517. Imports of Timber, Auckland, from Ist April, 1909, to 31s< March, 1910.-2,587,265 sup. ft., value £12.129. Of this quantity and value, Oregon pine is represented by 1,967,090 sup. ft, value £7,593. The total imports show a decrease over last year of 7,626,793 sup. ft, value £49,971, or practically 80 per cent. less. Timber-floating. —Twelve new licenses were granted, 64 renewals were granted, 5 licenses lapsed : total license and renewal fees received, £101 10s. Bush-fires. —Although every precaution was taken by the Forest Caretakers to guard against fires and trespassers in the forests, still, owing to the very dry summer, several large bush-fires occurred, resulting in considerable damage to private bushes and plant, mostly within the Thames County. Fortunately, however, the Crown forests suffered only to a slight extent, through the timely heavy lams quenching the fires before they penetrated far into the forests. Had these surrounding fires still continued, no doubt serious damage and loss would have resulted in the large kauri forest on Ti Tipi Block. Gathering Gum, Waipoua and Warawara State Forests. —Tree-gum gathering by the Caretakers from old incisions made in the trees within these two State forests is still being continued, but not to the same extent as in previous years, as, owing to the large crops having been gathered, the temptation for diggers and others to trespass in the bushes for the purposes of collecting gum has to a great extent been removed. The amount of gum disposed of during the period was 1 ton 19 cwt. 2 qr. 1 lb. ; amount realised, £95 16s. 3d. There still remains in the broker's store at Auckland 1 ton 13 cwt. 3 qr. 10 lb. for disposal; present value, £140. This is being held awaiting a more favourable market, and will be dealt with in due course. Although a decrease in timber revenue is shown, nevertheless the correspondence in connection with timber matters has been very considerable. In addition to the preparation of sale plans, returns, &c., 986 letters and 1,028 sale posters were despatched during the year. Eric C. Gold Smith, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

MARLBOROUGH. I forward herewith a table showing the quantity of timber from the State-owned forests upon which royalty was paid during the year ended 31st March last. Although many of the mills, especially smaller ones, have either been closed down, or were running slowly, for a considerable period of the year, the gross output has been over twelve and a half million superficial feet, or about three and a half million feet more than last year's output. It is anticipated that the gross returns from the bushes next year will be about fifteen million superficial feet ; out of this there will probably be but little less than two million feet cut from Crown lands —the balance from State forests. The various varieties of timber cut are, in the order of their quantities, rimu, kahikatea, matai, totara, and birch, although the proportion of white-pine has increased considerably. The gross amount of royalty on timber cut during the year was £3,295 4s. Id., against £2,439 15s. last year —an increase of £855 9s. Id. Of this sum £1,192 11s. 10d. was from Crown lands, and £2,102 12s. 3d. from State forests. It is anticipated that a greater amount of revenue will be received from the latter next year, because the two largest mills will be cutting on State forests. The number of men employed in the bushes and mills during the year was 236 —119 in the mills and 117 in the bushes ; probably twenty or thirty more were employed in carting, shipping, &c.

Summary of Timber cut from Crown Lands and State Forests for Year ended 31st March, 1910.

6—C. 1.

Mill. Rimu. White-pine Totara (Kahikatea). iot "»- Matai. Birch. Totals. 'rown Lands. irownlee and Co. ... !ooke and Co. Totals ... Sup. ft. ... 1,912,509 39,545 ... 1,952,054 Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 2,226,865 26,610 807 Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 3up. ft. 417,801 ... 4,583,785 8,646 ... 43,998 2,227,672 26,610 421,447 4,627,783