0.—3

12

Payments. The net expenditure from the State Forests Account for the past financial year was £236,275, a detailed analysis of which is set out hereunder; also comparisons with the years 1925—26 and 1924-25.

Diagram showing the Apportionment of each £1 of the Service Expenditure for the Fiscal Year ended 31st March, 1927.

Comparison of the Forest Income and Expenditures for the Period 1922-27.

Counties' Share in State Forest Timber-sale Receipts. Section 17 of the Finance Act, 1924, provides that out of moneys received into the State Forests Account from royalties on or net proceeds of sales of native timber growing on Crown lands set apart by Proclamation as State forests or as provisional State forests one-fifth part shall be payable to local authorities. A total sum of £9,061 Gs. was therefore paid out of the State Forests Account to thirtyeight local authorities during the period under review. These counties have expended their subventions principally upon metalling and maintenance of roads contiguous to forests from which the timber has been milled. The State forests have thus provided sums of money for improvements to backblock settlers' roads which, from their remote situation and consequent unimportance when compared with many other county roads, would have received only a small proportion of the funds at the disposal of the local authorities concerned.

Item. 1926-27. 1925-2(5. 1924-25. Fixed charges and staff salaries — £ £ £ £ £ , . Interest and loan expenses .. .. .. • • * 29,077 .. 28,132 j .. 24,136 AJ location of revenue— National Endowment Account .. .. .. .. 15,659 9,741 12,612 Local-body payments. . .. .. .. •• 9,061 6,141 j 257 24,720 15,882 ! 12,809 Staff salaries — Capital .. .. .. .. .. •• 17,075 11,103 9,035 Operational 22,783 25,912 22,394 39,858 37,015 31,429 Management, establishment, and development— Capital charges— Indigenous State forests- Buildings, equipment, &c. .. 4,204 3,082 2,791 Fire-fighting equipment, &c. .. .. .. .. 73 38 Educational —Reference library, &c. .. ... . . 107 213 100 Research and experimental equipment .. .. .. 2,402 3,615 1,750 Afforestation —Nurseries and plantations .. .. 78,418 61,315 47,864 Sand-dune reclamation .. .. .. .. 2,312 2,595 2,318 87,516 70,858 54,949 Operational expenses— 1 ndigenous State forests and general .. .. .. 17,839 j 15,500 j 14,670 Fire-prevention .. .. .. ■. •. 1,524 1,553 1,405 Educational —Publications, &c. .. .. .. .. 1,094 1,164 | 819 Utilization and silvicultural research .. .. .. 2,472 2,158 2,847 Preparation of planting plans, &c. .. .. .. 1,61 i 1,358 1,196 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. '744 74 533 __— 26,284 ; — 21,807 21,470 Land-purchases— Indigenous forest areas .. .. .. .. .. 18,639 16,161 105,993 Plantation-extension .. .. .. .. ..11,181 17,764 476 29,820 33.925 — - 106,469 Totals .. .. .. .. 236,275 207,619 251,322