Lxcoy.— The Forest Question in New Zealand. 9 
and in Germany the primitive woodland areas, though much reduced, 
still represent in both countries a surface equal to about 24 per cent. of 
the total area of the country, but notwithstanding this the people there 
are complaining of climatic disturbances as the result of the clearing of the 
woodlands. . 
IV.— REVENUE DERIVABLE FROM STATE Forests. 
This most interesting part of the whole question has, it seems, been 
altogether misunderstood in this colony. Semi-official statements relating 
to the forest revenue in Germany, had the effect of representing the amount 
of the said revenue as not being above a few shillings per acre, from which 
a large amount of expenditure had to be deducted. Upon the admitted 
value of that source of information, it was resolved, in the House of Repre- 
sentatives, a few years ago, that, * judging from the results attained in 
Germany, the conservation or regeneration of the indigenous forests in this 
colony would not pay.” + * * x 
In the said statements the forest revenue, arising from the annual 
acreage of fellings, has been ascribed to the whole forest area, through 
an erroneous analogy between the productive value of high timber State 
forests and those of freehold property, but the dissimilarity in the respective 
conditions pertaining to each kind of property does not admit of comparison; 
besides which, the annual acreage being calculated on only a portion of the 
whole arboreal stock, it cannot be taken as the revenue or produce of the 
whole forest area. However, the essential point to be observed is the actual 
result or total amount of revenue derivable from State forests, when managed 
under such principles as are generally adopted in Europe. The item of the 
amount of expenditure involved in the management of those forests also 
requires consideration. 
All State forests in Europe have been, and many are still, encumbered 
with forest rights and servitudes of feudal origin, the commutation of which, 
necessitates expenses generally included in the expenditure of the Forest 
Department; which, with other causes of expense, such as the preservation 
of game, the collection of the forest revenue, etc., etc., are in Germany also 
included in the departmental expenditure. In France, the Forest Department 
has nothing to do with the preservation of game, nor with financial mat- 
ters; besides which all forest rights and servitudes have been redeemed, and 
the departmental expenditure is thus confined to the salaries of the staff and 
forest guards, and does not exceed five per cent. of the revenue ; whilst in 
Germany, owing to causes just stated, the average forest expenditure in the 
German States hereafter named is above 30 per cent. de the other Band, as 
may be observed in the following tables, the gross ret th 
of the standing timber have hitherto been less in France than in Germany, the 
