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Session 11. 1923. NEW Z E ALAND.

STATE FOREST SERVICE. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FORESTRY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1923.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 64 of the Forests Act, 1921-22.

The Director of Forestry to the Hon. the Commissioner of State Forests. Sir,— Wellington, Ist June, 1923. I have the honour to submit herewith a report on the work of the State Forest Service for the year ended the 31st March, 1923. The following recommendations bearing on the progress of national forestry are commended to you, sir, for your serious consideration : — A. A State Forest Purchase Account: It is considered that a special State Forests Purchase Account of £500,000 should be established for the acquisition of highly valuable Native and privately owned forests. B. In the public interest the Forest authority should be now made responsible for the administration of all Government timber and forest activities. This Service is the only agency of State administration efficiently organized to manage these and other collateral activities such as milling and timber licenses, leases, and permits. C. North Island Forest Experiment Station : " Forest investigation is essential to forest administration." An experiment station is urgently needed for the systematic study and investigation of the North Island forests. This station should be located in the South Auckland region. D. You are again advised of the desirability of securing the dedication to forestry and conservation of the large area of unalienated Crown forests (over 2,000,000 acres) not as yet under the control of the Forest authority. B. The desirability for a School of Forestry for the training of forest technicians and executants is still recognized ; provision for instructional facilities is earnestly recommended. F. A much greater participation in the profitable business of operating community plantations and tree-farms by cities, boroughs, counties, and other local bodies is possible by fuller State co-operation. This it is hoped will be possible shortly. G. You are advised of the pressing need in the public interest for a more definite and uniform policy of administration and control of the several hundred miles of sawmill tramways now in operation throughout the forested regions of New Zealand. I have, &c, L. Macintosh Ellis, B.Sc.F., C.S.F.E., S.A.F., Director of Forestry.

CONTENTS. PAGE PAGE Chapter I. — Accomplishments ~ .. .. 2 Chapter IV. —Research and Experiments— continued. Chapter II. —The State Forest Service .. .. .'! 2. Forest-produots Investigations .. ..in Chapter 111. —The State Forests .. .. f> 3. Forest Economics .. .. .. ..17 1. Constitution of State Forests .. .. 5 Chapter V. —General .. .. .. ..18 2. Finance .. .. .. .. .. 6 Timber Trade Conditions .. .. .. 18 IS. Management .. .. .. .. 7 Forest Atlas .. .. .. ..21 Timber .. .. .. ..7 Educational .. .. .. ..21 Gia/iuy; .. .. .. .. 8 Annexures .. .. .. .. .. 22 Game and Reoreation .. .. ..8 I. Status Records .. .. .. ..22 Forest-protection .. .. ..9 11. Report upon State Forestation Operations in 4. Afforestation and Forest-extension .. 10 the North Island .. .. 22 Chapter IV.—Research and Experiments .. .. 12 111. Report upon State Forestation Operations in 1. Forest-management .. .. 12 the South Island .. .. 24 Ecological and Silvical Research .. .. 12 IV. Summaries .. .. .. ..25 Silvicultural Research .. .. ..13 V. Export and Import Statistics .. ..27 Economy in Afforestation .. ..15 VJ. Finance Statements .. .. ..28

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