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CHAPTER V.—GENERAL. 1. Report on the Timber Trade. Production. The following tables, showing the reported output in feet board measure of the various species of timber from New Zealand sawmills during the years ended 31st March, 1924, 1925, and 1926, have been compiled from figures supplied by the Government Statistician.

Reported Production of Sawn Timber by Species.

Graph showing Production of Rough-sawn Timber for Years ended 31st March, 1924, 1925, 1926.

Graph showing Trend of Sawn-timber Production by Forest Conservation Regions for the Period 1886 to 31st March, 1926.

The sawmill production as reported to the Government Statistician was approximately 353 million feet b.m. for the year ended 31st March, 1926. This represents an increase of 2-7 per cent, over the reported production for the previous year, and constitutes the highest reported annual cut by the industry since 1908. The production for the year ended 31st March, 1927, is estimated at 340 million feet b.m. The trend of regional timber-production for the period 1886 to 1926 is shown in the accompanying graph. The statistics were compiled for provincial districts, which correspond closely to forestconservation regions. Auckland and Rotorua regions combined, together with Gisborne (i.e., Auckland Province), not only maintained the premier position, but increased their cut over that for the previous reporting period (i.e., the year ended 31st March, 1925). Westland, as in the previous year, holds second place, and is assured of this position for some time to come, now that rail connection is available between the east and west coasts of the South Island. The Wellington District again showed an appreciable decrease, as in previous years, indicating the depletion of the easily accessible Main Trunk line forests. With the exception of kauri, totara, and insignis pine, the production of all species during the year ended 31st March, 1926, was greater than for the preceding period. The decreased production of totara is especially noticeable, the output amounting to only 14 million feet b.m., compared with 18| million feet b.m. cut in the year ended 31st March, 1925, equivalent to a reduction of 24 per cent. The principal increases included 9,000,000 ft. b.m. of white-pine and 4,000,000 ft. b.m. of matai. Hardwoods still supply less than 3 per cent, of the annual cut. The average f.o.r. mill value per 100 ft. b.m. (all species) for the year ended 31st March, 1925, was 19s. Bd., compared to 20s. Id. for the preceding year.

Species. 1924. 1925. 1926. Feet, B.M. Per cent. Feet, B.M. Per cent. Feet, B.M. Per cent. Totals, all species .. 317,068,000 100-00 344,095,000 100-00 353,225,000 100-00 1 i Kauri .. .. 19,743,000 6-23 22,892,000 6-66 22,766,000 6-44 Rimu .. .. 181,094,000 57-12 194,565,000 56-52 195,452,000 55-35 White-pine .. 55,699,000 17-88 66,539,000 19-38 75,635,000 21-40 Totara .. .. 18,904,000 5-96 18,507,000 5-38 14,110,000 4-00 Matai .. .. 24,326,000 7-67 23,392,000 6-79 26,141,000 7-40 Beech .. .. 6,529,000 2-06 7,439,000 2-16 8,701,000 2-46 Insignis pine .. 7,386,000 2-33 7,706,000 2-24 7,072,000 2-00 Other .. .. 2,387,000 0-75 3,055,000 0-87 3,348,000 0-95