VICTORIA. 133 



New Zealand. — The forest area of New Zealand is given in 

 one place as twenty million acres, equal to 31 per cent, of the 

 total area, and in another place as only twelve million acres. 

 Under an Act of 1885 one and a quarter million acres have 

 been declared reserves, but an amendment of 1888 authorises 

 the withdrawal of denuded or burnt areas for purposes of settle- 

 ment. In the north the kauri pine is the dominant tree, but 

 according to all accounts it is fast disappearing before timber 

 cutters, settlers and fires. It is a fine tree reaching a maximum 

 height of 160 feet. It yields kauri gum of which in 1899 a 

 quantity of 11,000 tons, worth i;608,000, was dug out of the 

 ground and mostly exported. The value of the amount of 

 kauri timber cut annually is given as i:400,000. Surely, it is 

 worth while to perpetuate an adequate supply of this valuable 

 tree. There are other coniferous trees of value, as well as the 

 so-called New Zealand teak (Vitex littoralis), which is exten- 

 sively used for railway sleepers. As regards management, 

 there is no special staff, nor is there any definite forest policy. 

 The protection of the forests is everywhere subordinate to the 

 claims of settlements and the interests of timber getters. Some 

 20 years ago a distinguished Indian forest officer was lent to 

 the New Zealand Government for a year. He drew up an 

 exhaustive and interesting report and gave the Government 

 some sound advice, but, apparently, nothing has come of it. 



Victoria, — The area of forests is twelve million acres, or 

 20 per cent, of the colony. Of these, five and a half million 

 acres have been declared reserves under the Land Act of 1890 

 and amendments. The alienation of these State forests or 

 timber reserves is forbidden, but denuded areas within the 

 reserves may be sold or occupied for settlement. The forests 

 are managed by the Land Department. 



According to the information at the author's disposal there 

 is a Conservator, but he is said to have no real power, nor is 

 there any definite policy in the management of the reserves. 

 The produce is disposed of under the royalty and licence 

 systems. The staft' consists of one Conservator, two Inspectors 



