39

C—3.

Return furnished by the Comptroller of Customs showing the Total Quantity and Value of the Undermentioned Kinds of Timber imported into New Zealand and the Net Customs Duty collected on Timber, during the Year ended 31st March, 1918.

Return furnished by the Comptroller of Customs showing the Total Quantity and Value of the Undermentioned Kinds of Timber exported from New Zealand and the Timber Export Duty collected during the Year ended 31st March, 1918.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS. Auckland. (H. M. Skeet, Conurussioner of Crown Lands.) Very little change has taken place during the past year in the general conditions of the timber industry in the Auckland Land District, with the exception perhaps of the difficulty of contending with the shortage of skilled bush labour, resulting in a decrease of log-production. Both the local and intercolonial demands for sawn timber of all kinds still remain firm, and keen inquiries have been made by New Zealand and Australian representatives for prospective purchases of standing forests for future supplies, and in expectancy of heavy demands for timber after the war. Considerable public interest has been manifest in discussing the important question of the conservation of the New Zealand timbers, more especially as regards kahikatea (white-pine), which is fast becoming scarce. Largo quantities of this timber are still being exported from the Northern Wairoa, and in some cases it is expected that shortly in this district

Headiu: Heading. igQuantity. Net Duty collected.* Value. Round logs — Ironbark Other timbers Hewn logs— Ironbark Jarrah. Other timbers Sawn rough— Ironbark Jarrah Oregon pine (Canada) Oregon pine (U.S.A.) Other timbers » Sup. .Feet. 543,789 107,977 £ 36 8 £ 8,046 1,119 1,972,182 459 1,814,494 147 37 28,102 7 20,122 420,163 2,34.4,607 20,248 3,151,225 2,489,219 356 716 21 3,277 2,625 5,926 26,167 114 14,744 29,217 Total 12,864,363 62 905 Sawn, dressed : Miscellaneous 44,917 Number. 1,381,080 103,485 Laths Palings, split Rails, split Posts, split Shingles Miscellaneous 450 475,023 154 98 2 57 18 974 742 10 955 1,945 Tanning-bark Tons. 4,426 460 8,074 46,480 _185^575 Totals * Including primage duty, 1 per rent, ad valorem.

Heading. Quantity. Duty collected. \ £ s. d. 4 12 1 Value. [auri [ahikatea (white-pine) iimu (red-pine) Seech (birches) Iiscefiaineous (New Zealand).. ,, (not New Zealand) 'aiming-bark (New Zealand).. ,, (not New Zealand) Sup. Feet. 12,649,247 32,225,935 24,987,421 510,069 375,037 20,519 28 tons £ 100,966 184,146 I28.054 3,346 2,692 218 4.62 4 12 1 419,884