c.—3.

4. State Afforestation. Very little planting of new areas was done during the year under review, the principal ones in the North Island being 640 acres as an addition to Tairua Plantation (Auckland Region), and two blocks of 619 acres and 644 acres respectively cut-over land underplanted in the northern part of the Wellington Conservancy. In the South Island a small area of 368 acres was added to Golden Downs Plantation. The North Auckland project comprises about 8,900 acres lying along the east coast in the vicinity of Mangonui. Planting cannot be commenced this season as the establishment of a tree nursery —a necessary preliminary step —is not yet complete. The South Island project, now known as Ashley State Forest, has an area of 4,749 acres and is located close to the town of Rangiora, North Canterbury. A topographical survey of the block was undertaken towards the close of the year, and at the end of that period 2,500 acres had been surveyed. A temporary camp has been established, and it is expected that 500 acres will be planted during the coming season. Table 6 gives a statistical summary of afforestation operations at the close of the year ; additional afforestation activities were blanking 2,784 acres, replanting 3,312 acres, and interplanting 155 acres. It will be observed that the total planted area at that date was 430,742 acres.

Table 6. —Summary of Operations in Plantations as at 31st March, 1939.

5. Sales op Timber. With the exception of three conservancies—Auckland, Rotorua, and Southland —timber sales showed a slight reduction in comparison with last year's figures. In Westland the reduction was 13,200,000 ft. board measure, and in Wellington and Nelson 137,000 and 1,586,000 respectively. Notwithstanding this, however, the total volume of sawn timber cut from State forests (Warden's areas included) increased over the same period by 8,250,000 ft. board measure, the figures being 121,250,000 ft., against 113,000,000 ft. for 1937-38.

18

PI ntnt'nn Year of New Area Total Net Area Gross Area of a 1 ' Commencement planted, 1938. planted. 1 Plantation. Acres. Acres. Acres. Mangonui .. .. .. .. * .. .. 8,927 Waipoua .. .. .. .. 1925 60 1,616 12,600 Puhipuhi .. .. .. .. 1904 .. 1,176 1,558 Riverhead .. .. .. .. 1926 15 11,078 11,956 Maramarua.. .. .. .. 1928 8 12,311 14,087 Tairua .. .. .. .. 1930 640 11,785 48,510 Rotoehu .. .. .. .. 1937 67 303 30,402 Whakarewarewa .. .. .. 1898 .. 8,033 10,065 Waiotapu .. .. .. .. 1901 .. 7,051 7,974 Kaingaroa .. .. .. .. 1913 107 259,147 328,667 Tongariro .. .. .. .. 1937 619 696 J ,800 Erua .. .. .. .. 1930 644 3,760 6,648 Karioi .. .. .. .. 1927 .. 17,196 33,689 Golden Downs .. .. .. 1927 368 19,679 24,174 Wcstland .. . .. .. 1922 .. 3,064 5,839 Hanmer .. .. .. .. 1901 .. 7,784- 10,372 Balmoral .. .. .. 1916 23 21,242 24,041 Eyrewell .. .. .. .. 1928 .. 18,343 19,266 Ashley .. .. .. .. * .. .. 4,749 Naseby .. .. . . 1900 18 3,098 4,032 Dusky .. .. 1898 .. 4,470 6,866 Conical Hills .. .. .. 1903 .. 3,612 . 3,906 Pukerau .. .. .. .. 1915 .. 565 628 Blue Mountains .. .. .. 1925 8 8,822 9,708 Pebbly Hills 1930 .. 4,329 5,330 Minor areas .. .. .. 1875-1937 134 1,582 8,758 Totals .. .. .. .. 2,711 430,742 644,552 * New project.'