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areas new nurseries have been established. Details of tree-planting subsidy schemes, •of other Catchment Board activities in the use of trees for soil conservation, and of the work undertaken in the Council's own reserves and in works districts are given in the relevant sections of this report. A matter of current interest has been the " shipmast " locust (Robima pseudoacacia var. rechssima). Eoot cuttings of this tree were introduced from the United States •of America in 1945, and until recently sufficient time has not elapsed for any conclusions to be drawn regarding the success of this importation. The Poverty Bav Catchment Board has now, however, pointed out that specimens grown in its nurseries and planted out on a number of sites do not appear to be developing the erect character attributed to this variety of the black locust. This matter is under investigation ; and the United States of America Department of Agriculture, through whom the original cuttings were •obtained, has been asked to supply full details of the source of the plants sent to New Zealand and of the behaviour of " shipmast " locust in different sites in the United States of America. The position regarding research, briefly mentioned in last vear's report, remains .substantially the same. Forestry problems, in particular those relating to' biology, ■ecology, and hydrology, have not yet received the attention they merit; and until the .answers are known to many fundamental questions concerning "the establishment and management of protection forests, the control of pests, and the influences of different vegetative covers on soil stability and on the circulation of water, the application of forest measures in conservation work must continue to be in the nature of an experiment, the exact results of which are as yet unpredictable. This is a state of affairs which must be remedied as soon as possible. PEST CONTBOL During the year the problems of pest damage, have featured prominently in the 'Council's work. Although not represented on the Babbit Destruction Council, the Soil Conservation and Bivers Control Council maintains close liaison with that body ■ and a welcome step forward has now been taken, with the agreement of the Department of Agriculture, that representatives of Catchment Boards should be invited to attend Babbit Board meetings when matters of joint interest are being discussed. Unfortunately there are still indications that the farming of rabbits is condoned in some districts, and it is the Council's firm intention to press for strict application of a killer policy through the Dominion. The position with regard to opposums is serious and leaves no grounds for complacency. Under the auspices of the Wild-life Branch of the Department of Biternal Affairs, representatives of interested Departments met during the year to •consider the best means of destroying opossums, and a scheme of control is now being drawn up by that Department. Proposals for intensifying the campaign against this pest, and for supplementing measures to keep deer in check, have also been placed before the Council by Catchment Boards most affected ; and these suggestions are now under the consideration of the Department of Internal Affairs. As a further step in coordination, a suggestion has been made that a Pest Control Council to deal with deer, pig, opossums, goats, &c._, should be established on lines similar to the Babbit Destruction Council. It is evident, in fact, that general concern is now felt regarding the damage caused by pests ; but the need for continuous and uninterrupted control measures must be stressed if pest populations are to be kept down to manageable numbers. SOIL CONSEBVATION DISTBICTS The Waitaki Soil Conservation District Committee has met regularly during the year, and is to be complimented on the steady progress made in the first regional of its kind.

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