11 



The possibility of commercial forests on the smaller islands seemed less than on the main 

 island, but on New Britain there are still small areas of profitable forests of Eucalyptus Naudiniana , 



the tree that for many years has yielded the best general building timber for Rabaul and outlying 



stations. Otherwise the islands were disappointing. 



Australia's tropical dependencies, while offering no prospects of immediate gain to 1; 

 saw-milling interests, possess forest potentialities of a high order. The range of forest reg 



sea level through the rain forests of the low-lands 01 

 of the mountains. It is nature's very abundance that 



from the Mang 



amp 



the oak of the hills and the pine forests of the mountains. 



made the forests of these Territories unprofitable. > 



Less species and some pure stands are what are wanted and here is where the forester can 

 assist nature. In that splendid growing climate there is no reason why Australia should not establish 

 forests to supply a large part of her timber requirements. 



Both in Papua and the Mandated Territory it was only possible for me in the time allotted 

 to burrow holes from sea to mountain in as many places as practicable to record all information 

 obtainable concerning the trees on either land. I have only made a small beginning of the Forest 



Survey and of Botany I have only touched the fringes of the vast field. This report must be 



regarded merely as a skeleton on winch some other forester will, I hope, lay the flesh. 



The bot 



lie 



of the large quantity of material collected 



was 



kindly 



by Mr. C. T. White, .Government Botanist of Queensland, and the thanks are due 



I to his assistant, Mr. \V. I). Francis, for 



V 



they have do 



I am much indebted to the Magistrates, District Officers, Missionaries and planters for 

 the assistance given me in carrying out the work I had in hand. 



C. E. LANE-POOLE 



10th January, 1925 



