H.— 44,

TIMBER. The production of the main varieties of timber in the Dominion for the past ten years (ending 31st March) is given in the following table : —

Included in the table above under other species not specified are Pinus insignis and beech. The production of these species for the past five years is as under :— Pinus insignis. Beech. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1929 .. .. .. .. 9,168,412 9,845,606 1930 .. .. .. .. 10,381,585 10,225,255 1931 .. .. .. .. 12,739,925 7,680,913 1932 .. .. .. .. 13,404,700 5,756,868 1933 .. .. .. .. 14,676,010 5,781,441 Exports. The export trade in timber for twelve months ended 31st December, 1933, shows a reduction of 1,484,816 in superficial feet and £16,199 in value. The relative figures for the two periods are shown as under :— i ~ r

Imports. The following table shows, in thousands of superficial feet, the quantities of imported timber that directly compete with New Zealand native timbers : —

15

Y (i'ip pflHpil 31st March ' Total. ■ Kauri. j Rimu. White-pine. Matai. Totara. Othere. r ' : ' ■ 1 * ■ Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1924 .. 317,069.216 19,743,196 181,093,581 56,699,443 24,326,148 18,904,361 16,302,487 1925 .. 344,094,874 22,891,535 195,572,705 65,572,439 23,947,707 18,509,551 17,600,937 1926 .. 353,224,196 22,765,877 195,451,758 75,634,869 26,141,027 14,109,576 19,121,089 1927 .. 305,675,258 18,474,981 170,498,282 65,490,059 19,380,469 14,179,462 17,652,005 1928 .. 269,783,000 15,874,000 156,314,000 53,736,000 15,207,000 15,728,000 17,924,000 1929 .. 270,214,420 10,742,967 156,239,992 56,790,306 15,752,744 8,610,639 22,077,772 1930 .. 282,405,173 10,471,297 163,293,288 58,505,364 17,972,243 9,046,159 23,116,822 1931 .. 229,468,022 8,943,480 124,998,825 49,009,109 13,917,187 9,467,697 23,131,724 1932 .. 154,192,510 6,891,352 71,082,074 43,161,299 7,474,867 5,344,100 20,238,818 1933 .. 166,269,410 5,410,390 76,192,513 47,997,700 8,160,873 6,346,942 22,160,992

1932. 1983. Feet b.m. Value. Feet b.m. ! Value. £ £ White-pine .. .. 22,225,905 198,811 19,548,114 181,100 Rimu .. .. 2,060,581 14,328 3,641,873 24,560 Kauri .. .. 724,714 17,241 410,875 10,658 Beech .. .. 1,474,986 15,208 1,375,374 12,709 Fruit-case timber .. 661,156 6,832 704,443 7,343 Other .. , 190,144 1,550 171,991 1,401 Total .. 27,337,486 253,970 25,852,670 237,771

1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. * t I ; | (1,000 ft.) (1,000 ft.) (1,000ft.) (1,000ft.) Cedar ....!.. 637 52 7 2 Oregon .. .. .. 12,807 2,950 1,081 1,354 Hemlock . . . . 6,142 662 Redwood.. .. .. 9,345 1,028 291 461 Butter-box shooks.. .. 4,691 2,879 1,473 1,815 Cheese-crate shooks ; .. 1,774 732 175 5 Total .. ( .. 35,396 8,303 3,027 3,637