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Canterbury nurseries in particular suffered from a wet spring, with consequently delayed seedsowing, followed by unprecedented local hailstorms in early December, when the seed was in process of germination. Twice during the season such storms swept over the newly established forest nursery at Ashley, in North Canterbury, hail lying up to 4 in. deep on the ground after hours of storm. Newly germinated seedlings were broken beyond recovery, and most of the seed-beds had to be ploughed in. The same storms were so severe that the soft new growth on leading shoots of young conifers in planted areas were dented and pitted, and young foliage was torn off, but no visible disease incidence followed, and by the end of a wet and cold summer this damage has been completely repaired. Earlier in the year winter snowfalls necessitated interruption of planting work at Golden Downs, in Nelson, a very rare occurrence in that forest. Although no significant damage was suffered during the year by any State forest area, a violent storm in the late summer laid waste many acres of privately-owned plantations in northern Marlborough. The path of the storm could be clearly traced by the broken and levelled plantations on farm lands, and it was estimated that three-quarters of a million super feet of pine timber had to bo sold for what it would fetch in the effort to clear up the sites quickly. The district affected is not a forest district, but many amenity and shelter plantations have been, laid out in it over the past seventy-five years. The damage that they suffered is typical of the occasional natural catastrophe that must be expected when forest growth is established in an area not naturally endowed with either forest soil or climate. The last similar occurrence in the same district was some sixteen years ago. _ Abnormal dull, cold, rainy weather continued well on through the summer in most districts, and, after a brief respite, set in again early in the autumn. As a result, forest fire hazard was below normal, many grass districts normally very inflammable being too green to carry fires at any stage. The principal fires occurred early in the season in Southland and Westland, two districts which are usually those of lowest hazard, but which this year experienced spring and early summer weather better than elsewhere. . In Rotorua, where aerial patrol service was inaugurated through the co-operation of the Air Department, it was necessary to call for only seven such patrols throughout the season. This is probably the most conclusive evidence of the dampness of summer and autumn. 52. Forest Offences. —-The number of convictions for offences against the Forests Act, 1921-22, and the Forest (Fire-prevention) Regulations 1940 secured during the year were 46 (40), in which the total fines, costs, and damages amounted to £622 (£476). Particulars of these offences appear in Appendix IX. . Included in the convictions are those of two defendants who unlawfully cut and removed timber not only from State forest, but also from Crown land. The Forest Service assisted in securing evidence and making assessment of the timber damage in the Crown forest —administered by the Lands and Survey Department—resulting in convictions (four in all) being secured in respect of both forests, with fines, costs, and damages amounting to £198 for the State offences and £482 for the others. In another case a second offender was fined £10 for entering the Kaingaroa Forest without a permit, while for not notifying fire danger or taking steps to suppress a fire a man was convicted and ordered to pay £58 costs and fire-fighting expenses. It is hoped that the penalties imposed and the reports of proceedings in the press will act as a deterrent to possible offenders. CHAPTER VII.—FOREST ENGINEERING 53. General. —Shortage of suitable labour and equipment has again retarded progress with projected engineering works, although existing services have been maintained to a reasonable standard. 54. Roads and Bridges.—ln addition to the maintenance of existing roads and bridges, new work has been carried out to assist in the development of exotic forests, as well as for maintenance of log production from indigenous State forests. Operations under this heading are as follows : new roads formed, 27 miles 21 chains , roads maintained, over 800 miles ; new tracks formed, 21 miles 33 chains ; tracks maintained, 50 miles 31 chains ; new culverts, 90 ; culverts repaired, 29 ; new bridges, 6 ; bridges repaired, 29. 55. Construction Equipment. —Some plant has, on account of age, been the cause of a number of stoppages, while in other cases the difficulties in procuring plant has delayed work. Nevertheless, although some of the older plant is only kept in operation at considerable expense, the value of mechanical equipment, particularly for the maintenance of firebreaks, has again been clearly demonstrated. Two carryall scrapers and several tractors have been added to the construction equipment during the year (see para. 59). 56. Buildings— The shortage of houses for married employees remains acute, and it has not been possible to provide more than temporary accommodation for additional staff. Routine maintenance and painting of existing buildings has been carried out in all regions, and a number of alterations and additions made. Two camps which will form the nucleus for post-war activities have been built by defaulter labour, complete with cookhouses, stores, and other amenities. Under the heading of miscellaneous buildings constructed, apart from these two camps, are 1 fire lookout cabin, 3 garages, 1 workshop, 1 cookhouse, 3 stores, 1 radio-telephone building, and 31 huts. 57. Water-supply and Drainage. —Wells in Kaingaroa Forest have been cleaned and additional storage provided at Rotoehu Forest, while temporary water storage for fighting forest fires has been provided at Whakarewarewa and Balmoral. Now that mobile fire-fighting units have been made available, more extensive and permanent storage will be provided at an early date at suitable locations both at Kaingaroa and Balmoral. 58. Utilization Plant— The production objective for the Waipa Sawmill set in last year's report at 11,000,000 board feet has been exceeded by 1,410,000 board feet, or 13 per cent, due largely to a novel but very successful operation of the plant made possible by the installation at the beginning

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