INCOME AND EXPENDITURE OF THE STATE FORESTS. 55 



Income, Es. Expenditure, Ks. Surplus, Eb. 



Period 1864—1869 . 3,740,000 2,380,000 1,360,000 



„ 1884—1889 . 11,670,000 7,430,000 4,240,000 



„ 1904—1909 . 25,700,000 14,100,000 11,600,000 



„ 1909—1914 . 29,600,000 16,370,000 13,230,000 



During these 50 years the income has risen eight-fold and the 



surplus tenfold. Since the year 1914, the figures have been 



practically doubled, but that represents a rise which is chiefly 



due to the effect of the war, and it is impossible to say whether a 



reaction will come or not. 



12. Summary. 

 An attempt has been made to draw the balance between 

 Increment, Utilization, Exports and Imports from and into the 

 Empire. Unfortunately the necessary data are not, in all cases, 

 complete. All that can be said at the present time is that the 

 annual net increment is about equal to double the annual con- 

 sumption. Satisfactory as this appears at first sight, it is less so 

 when the following qualifications are considered. In the first 

 place, it would appear that in most cases the increment refers to 

 all species, while the consumption refers to the better kinds of 

 timber trees, the stock of which has in many cases undoubtedly 

 decreased of late years. Moreover, firewood is included in some 

 returns and only timber in others. On the other hand, in the 

 majority of cases the data refer chiefly, if not altogether, to the 

 forests which are at present accessible, while additional supplies 

 can be made available by opening out the unmarketable and 

 inaccessible forests. At the same time, the fact remains that 

 between 4 and 5 million loads of timber have of late years been 

 imported annually from foreign countries. This is partly due to 

 the fact that the bulk of the Empire conifer forests are situated in 

 Canada and Newfoundland. The imports into the Empire have 

 steadily increased, certainly since 1884, so that they are now more 

 than double what they were 38 years ago. If it is added that 

 future supplies from foreign countries are anything but secure, 

 it seems clear that efforts must be made to render the Empire 

 independent of such imports. With this end in view, action must, 

 without delay, be taken somewhat on the following lines : — 

 (1) Every part of the Empire must lay down a definite forest 

 policy on the basis of a Forest Act or Ordinance. 



