C.—3.

Section C.—Recreation. 90. Increasing use continues to be made of State forests as the national playground. Authorized tramping and kindred sports clubs carried out their normal programmes of visits and recreational pursuits in several State forests, while the number of campers and casual visitors constituted a record. In one camping area in Southland eighty-two permits were issued, and some hundreds more were granted for use in less-frequented areas throughout the Dominion. To assist visitors, guide maps of the more important State forests are being prepared showing the principal topographical features, access roads and tracks, together with post-offices and the location of forest officers, and with useful information for campers, trampers, &c., and safety rules. Signs indicating forest names, directions, and distances are also being prepared for erection in the morefrequented State forests. Section D. —Opossum-trapptng. 91. In certain acclimatization districts open seasons were declared for trapping opposums during 1939, and the State forests within those districts were made available for that purpose. Trapping is administered in terms of the Animals Protection and Game Act, 1921 22, but trappers must obtain permits to enter State forests before trapping commences. Permits are granted for specified areas and for one season only. State forests are subdivided into blocks, the boundaries of which are fixed, to conform as far as possible to natural features, and rights over the blocks are sold by public auction. In all, 121 permits were issued, compared with 263 during 1937. Section E.—Mining Privileges. 92. Applications for mining privileges referred to the Service numbered 306, of which 109 directly affected State forests. In order to safeguard the forest interests, an arrangement exists whereby applications relating thereto are referred from the Mines Department for examination and report. Section F. —Forest Grazing. 93. Except in isolated cases where there are unusual circumstances not prejudicial to forestry, it is an established practice to grant no right of a permanent nature in State forests, as it is necessary from time to time to review all such activities. Consequently, grazing is permitted on a temporary tenancy only and is confined to such open areas as may safely be grazed without damage to the forest. Such tenancies may specify the maximum number of animals to be grazed, and are granted for terms not exceeding one year, but may be reviewed for similar terms or may be cancelled on giving three months' notice ; also, limited grazing may be permitted by agistment for short periods, the charges being assessed at a sum per head of cattle or sheep to be grazed. Section 7 of the Forests Amendment Act, 1925, restricts the right to grant leases of land comprised in a provisional State forest to a term of one year save with the written consent of the Minister of Lands, while under section 32 (3) of the Forests Act, 1921-22, no lease may be granted in a permanent State forest for a term exceeding twenty-five years. Upon the expiry of a lease no compensation is payable to a lessee, but certain improvements may be removed. At the 31st March, 199 temporary grazing leases and 8 term lease's (periods exceeding one year) were in force covering a total area of 187,716 acres. Portions of State forests which are suitable for land-settlement and are not required for forestry purposes are released from reservation from time to time so that they can be dealt with under the Laud Act, 1924. A total of 2,725 acres (shown in detail in Appendix II) were thus dealt with last year. Section G.—Government Timber Price Committee. 94. Prices of all types of timber products are now subject to the provisions of the Price Stabilization- Emergency Regulations 1939, which came into force on the Ist September, 1939. Previously the supervision of timber-prices was carried on by the Government Timber Price Committee consisting of officers of the State Forest

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