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Resolution III: Survey of Resources 3. The Conference adopts the report of the Committee on Survey of Resources and calls the attention of the Governments of the Commonwealth to the recommendations made therein, particularly to the following : — ! " In view of the advanced technique developed by the Forest Service, New Zealand was given the honour of Chairing this Committee, sharing credit with Canada for having already initiated a national forest stocktaking to acceptable modern standards (1) That a preliminary survey of forest resources be undertaken or continued by all members of the Commonwealth, to be completed by December, 1957, full advantage being taken of recent developments in aerial survey technique, and of all information available from military and civil authorities or organizations. " A national forest survey commenced in 1945 has already covered over 1,100,000 acres. By the use of aerial photography and co-ordinated ground studies it will be possible, with the aid of modern statistical methods, to achieve the objective of completing much more than a preliminary survey by 1957. It will provide both the basis of New Zealand's timber use economy for the next fifty years and much of the ecological information essential to the formulation of a management policy which will have reference not merely to fifty but to five hundred years ahead (2) That His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland set up a Technical Committee on Aerial Survey of Forests, to provide guidance and advice on technique and to disseminate information on improved methods ; such Committee to include members appointed from forest authorities of the Commonwealth. " This Technical Committee is now in process of formation, and Mr. A. P. Thomson, B.Sc.For., who has initiated and supervised the national forest survey, will represent New Zealand." (3) That the topographical survey of the colonial territories be accelerated to ensure completion of forest areas by 1955, and that forest authorities participate in such survey through allocation of specially recruited and trained personnel. " New Zealand has already indicated its willingness to assist Colonial territories in the South Pacific in the attainment of this objective by training of subordinate staff." Resolution IV: Forest Management, Silviculture, and Protection 4. The Conference approves the report of the Committee on Forest Management, Silviculture, and Protection, and asks the Governments of the Commonwealth to give serious consideration to the following points : (1) That all forest areas should be managed under working plans approved by the highest competent authority, with adequate safeguards against unnecessary deviations. " The Forest Act, 1921-22, provides that the Director of Forestry shall from time to time prepare working plans for each State forest, which, when approved by the Minister, shall not be altered save by the Minister on the recommendation of the Director. Due to the paucity of technical staff, however, relatively few working plans have been prepared, but in accordance with the Conference Committee's report on forest management, silviculture, and protection, instructions have been issued to prepa re a very simple type of plan which can be applied within a reasonably short period to all the more important State forests. The practicability

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