11

a—3.

Cheney Spark-nullifier. This very useful device for the prevention of sparks from locomotives, log-haulers, &c., has now been almost universally adopted by sawmillers operating in State forests, and with few exceptions appears to be giving general satisfaction. It has undoubtedly been of great value in reducing fire danger from the sources mentioned. Forest-fires. As the summer of 1927 28 was the driest and warmest experienced for many years, a very high fire hazard obtained for several weeks throughout practically the whole Dominion, and although many serious fires occurred, resulting in unusually heavy losses, the damage would have been infinitely greater but for the excellent fire-patrol system maintained by the Service and the increasing vigilance of its field officers, combined with the voluntary assistance in many cases by landowners, sawmillers, &c., which enabled fires to be extinguished in their incipient stages. The most destructive fire from a forestry viewpoint was the loss of approximately 60 acres of eighteen-year-old conifers at Hanmer Springs. The fire originated in the old hotel at Jollies Pass at an early hour in the morning, and, fanned by a strong north-west wind, sparks were carried a distance of nearly half a mile to the plantation, where they probably smouldered for some time amongst the pine-needles before bursting into flames. The burnt trees can be utilized for pit props, firewood, &c., and these and other avenues of exploitation are being investigated. A serious fire occurred in Puhipuhi Plantation (North. Auckland), where 300 acres of conifers and eucalypts were destroyed, and on Westland experimental area about 1,000 three-year-old trees were burned. Many private plantations also suffered severely, the greatest losses being at Nelson, where areas of exotic trees aggregating 100 acres were ruined. Considering the magnitude and number of fires generally, those in State indigenous forests were comparatively few, although fairly severe losses took place in Nelson region during January, February, and March (the maximum fire hazard period), when for several weeks almost continuous fires raged with great intensity. A survey of the position disclosed that approximately 3,000 acres of State forests were burned over, with an estimated timber loss of £1,000, while extensive areas of scenic and other reserves and unoccupied Crown lands were also swept by fire. It is evident that some of the fires got out of control through carelessness in burning-off on adjoining lands, &c., and where cases can be established steps will be taken to prosecute the offenders in terms of the Forests Act.

Analysis of all reported Forest-fires in State Forests.

Forest-fires : Number, Character, and Area. Money Value of Forest-wealth destroyed. Forestconservation llegion. Number Timber Land Cut-over Land Scrub Land Total Area Merchantable Valuable ■ Total detected. burned. burned. burned. j burned over. Timber. Begrowth. Value. -* i " u " 'J | * * > , 'V I *,* * 'A,' . f, ( * . I * v I I Acres. Acres. Acres. i Acres. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland.., 13 304 141 183 628 604 0 0 j 604 0 0 Rotorua .. .. j .. .. .. | Wellington 8 12 195 520 727 75 0 0 10 0 0 85 0 0 Nelson-Marl- .. 3,931 .. .. 3,931 1,057 0 0 .. 1,057 0 0 borough Westland .. 1 46 .. .. .. 10 0 0 10 0 0 Canterbury- 7 f .. .200 260| 1,969 6 0 .. 1,969 6 10 Otago Southland 8 .. 337 .. 337 Totals 39 4,353} 673 903 5,929} 3,715 6 10 10 0 0 3,725 6 10 i I Cost of Protection, Prevention, Detection, and Control of State Forests. Origin of Forest-fires. Forest- j r C Te r Jo a r WagesCo8t equ^; nt Locomotion ~ c ' Cost. coac - tors. Ac. Operators. A 8t-ncies. _ £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland 10 872 0 0 .. 100 0 0 972 0 0 .. 10 .. 2 Rotorua . . H 773 0 0 157 0 0 37 14 2 967 14 2 Wellington 3 159 9 0 5 6 43 10 0 203 4 6 .. .. 4 2 Nelson-Marl- 3 1,300 0 0 .. 69 0 0 1,369 0 0 borough Westland .. 3 41 11 2 .. .. 41 11 2 .. .. .. 1 Canterbury- 17 916 15 6 .. 25 7 4 942 2 10 .. 6 1 Otago Southland.. 2 184 6 0 .. 24 9 0 208 15 0 5 2 .. 1 Totals 49 4,247 1 8 157 5 6 j 300 0 6 4,704 7 8 5 18 5 6