301 



I therefore give below a table showing the expenditure in 

 each State for the last two years : — 



Expenditure. 



1907-8 1908-9 



£ £ 



New South Wales 19,545 20,169 



Victoria 18,754 27,066 



South Australia 7,542 10,171 



Queensland 6,940 4,652 



Western Australia ... 6,271 8,755 



Tasmania ... 424 1,492 



Commonwealth 59,476 72,305 



It will be seen that in each State, except Queensland, there 

 has been an increase in the last year's expenditure, and that the 

 most marked increase is in Victoria. 



I shall now give a brief summary of the information received 

 in regard to each State in response to the questions submitted by 

 me. 



New South Wales. 



The total area of forest reserves is 7,474,260 acres, 

 of which 100 acres are enclosed for planting operations. 

 They are now under control of the State, and are alien- 

 able, but the new Forest Bill proposes to make provision for the 

 establishment of State forests. (3) The total number of trees 

 planted last year (1908-9) is not available. The total revenue for 

 that year was £57,592. Trees are distributed free to the public, 

 83,585 being given away during the year. 



Exotics are not planted in the forests. The supply of grow- 

 ing timber is diminishing, but the extent cannot be stated. It is 

 anticipated that much benefit will accrue from a reformed manage- 

 ment of the forest reserves under the provisions of an Act which 

 came into operation on January 1, 1910. 



Victoria. 



The total forest area is something oyer 4,000,000 acres, 

 and 10,000 acres are enclosed for planting. The reserves 

 are under the sole control of the State Forests Department. Por- 

 tions of the reserves are licensed — and under the Forests 

 Act, 1907, can be leased — to individuals and companies for timber- 

 cutting. The area cannot be stated with exactness. The total 

 number of trees planted during the year was about 200,000, and 

 the total revenue for the same period was £41,929. In addition 

 to indigenous trees, pines are planted largely in the reserves. 

 Trees to the number of 28,284 were distributed to 1,910 applicants. 

 The question as to the supply of timber increasing or diminishing 

 cannot be answered with any degree of confidence. 



Queensland. 

 The timber reserves, which total 3,019,919 acres, are 

 temporarily reserved and are alienable, parts of them being 

 opened for selection from time to time when not considered neces- 

 sary for timber reservation. 



(3) Reserves are not leased to private individuals or companies for 

 timber-cutting, but are operated on under licences. 



