9

0.—3

A conference between the various Government 'Departments concerned was held to consider the question of control, and this resulted in a general conference between the Government Departments and acclimatization societies. As a result of the latter conference the Departments of Agriculture, Tourists, and State Forest Service are now conferring with each acclimatization society separately, with a view of determining the areas upon which removal of protection is necessary, and to what extent the societies can control their herds. Maps showing the requirements of the Government Departments are being prepared by the State Forest Service, and will be forwarded to the various societies. Considerable, damage was done by red deer in one of the State plantations. The control of deer is a matter vital to the progress of silviculture, and its solution is a matter that will be pushed on vigorously. The Opossum. An investigation into the habits of this animal shows that its adverse effect upon silviculture is to be deemed a negligible quantity especially as it is easy to trap or poison, and the skin, being a valuable article, will always pay for the work entailed. During the 1.922 season 381 permits to trap were issued, and 54,357 skins, mostly from State forests, were harvested. Total royalties from skins and licenses amounted to £3.324, and one-third of this, £1,108, was paid into the account of the State Forest Service. The gross value of the skins taken, in their raw state, would not be less than £20,000. Honorary Forest Bangers. During the year thirty-three honorary rangers were appointed, seventeen of these being in the Wellington Conservation Region. These gentlemen, who are deemed to be Forest officers within the meaning of the Forests Act, 1921-22, have co-operated very unselfishly and loyally with the field staff of the Service in the work of protecting the 11,462 square miles of State forest from damage by fire and trespass. The activities of the field staff —both the honorary rangers and the fifty-two forest rangers and guards —consist not only in warning the public against the danger of lighting fires and trespassing, but also in the more positive work of giving guidance and information to hunters, anglers, tourists, trappers, tramping-parties, and others—in short, to encourage and extend the legitimate use of the forests by the people. Both in this phase of the work and in the dissemination of information on the necessity for and the advantages to be derived from tree-planting, the honorary rangers are doing service of the highest order to the community. FoREST-PKOTECTION. Forest-fires. The following is an analysis of all reported forest-fires on and adjacent to State forests during the year , : —

Apart from the new fire-stations and improvements to those previously erected, the main feature in the year's campaign against forest fire has been the creation of thirteen fire districts. In these areas specially subject to danger from fire risk, special steps are necessary to secure the

2—C. 3.

Forest Conservation Itegion. Forest Fires : Number, Character, and Area. Money Value of Torest-wealth di ]Vii] dote mber ™ ,Cted, g ber Land Cut-o urned. bi lores.) {{ >ver Land urnocl. icres.) Scrul bui (A( > Land •ned. :ros.) Total burnei (Aci I Area 1 over. :es.) Mere H ihantablo Valuable Ijnber. Hegrowth. r l Y I'otal r alue. SF. Priv. S.F. Priv. S.F. Priv. S.F. Priv. S.F. Priv. S.F. £ l'riv. £ 4,000 S.F. £ Priv. ! £ S.F. £ Priv. £ 4,000 Auckland .. Rotorua .. Wellington Nelson-Marl-borough Westland .. OanterburyOtago Southland 7 2,000 3,042 3,110 960 1,000 200 2,000 510 200 200 5,000 3,042 3 8 2 J 4 100 l.,049| 70 72 960 io 80 2,000 i 10 1 80 2,000 3,200 3,200 3 •• •• 5 '' i i ' ' Totals 13 2 2 9,112 1,105 I 1,319$ I 5,910 1,322 16,407 10 0,080 i 1 i 11 6,080 Koivsl. Conservation Itegion. Co of •ml jcotion, Prevcntioi [, r>cteeti< hi. and Control of S1 ;atc .Forcsi ;s. Orii ;in o: Foresi Kin ss. Fin >atr< :ce. Me: Wages Cost. : Fire Uqulpnxeni Cost. Locomotion Cost. Sawmilling Total Cost. Operators. Trave Ti-iipi Sporb jllers pers, snii'i I, Li , clej n. Opei mdirinfi •ator Unki >. Age] !O\V 11 ides. J: (No. i.) Auckland Rotorua .. Wellington Nolson-Marl-borough Westland .. C!anterburyOtago Southland.. 7 4 2 3 IN I "Sg ¥ £ 9. d. 688 19 9 266 5 7 118 19 6 245 16 4 £ s. d. 0 <J 0 £ s. a, 97 10 0 54 8 7 39 17 11 96 5 3 £ s. d. 786 18 9 320 14 2 158 17 5 342 1 7 s.v. 1 Priv. S.F. 2 9 I Prh S.F. Prlv. 120 2(5 217 18 S.F. 4 i Friv. 2 2 4 18 28 6 10 472 0 0 2 4 0 5 0 0 27 16 0 58 7 4 477 0 0 1 1 92 16 0 ■10 12 4 19 16 11 153 5 3 1 Totals 34 1,913 4 0 48 5 4 f> 2 383 5 2 335 15 2 2,297 4 6