N 6
to 52%, so that the position resulting from the cessation of this regular supply can be visualised and the increase in forestry offences during December can be well understood. Statistics for this form were kindly supplied by the Imports and Exports Department.
In
23. Revenue and Expenditure-In view of the composite nature of the department and the fact that some votes serve all sides of the work, it is not possible to give absolutely accurate figures for expenditure on forestry. Therefore, the adoption of standard forms XI and XII at the present stage is not possible. With respect to Expenditure, it is considered more satisfactory to retain departmental Tables III and IV and to add to them an additional column showing the approximate allocations to the forestry section from composite votes as well as votes entirely allocated to it. Table II will be amended similarly to record forestry revenue. In connection with the latter, it will be necessary to include the estimated wholesale market value of the timber extracted and passed to the Stores Department. Figures for expenditure for the year indicate that the forestry section absorbed approximately 55.91% of the total expenditure of the department.
24. Strength of Forest Staff-The permanent staff of the forestry section is as follows: senior officers 2 (1 part-time), intermediate officers 3, foresters 3, forest guards 12, others 35. This staff is augmented by temporary labour as required, and the average daily number of temporary employees during the year was 58. The staff generally is not of a sufficiently large or detailed type to necessitate use of Standard Form XIII.
25. Tai Po Kau Forest Reserve--As has been stated above, this reserve is to be the forest experimental station of the department. It has been used in this way in the past to a small extent, but the time has arrived for it to be properly organised as such. To this end, the erection of a plant house for seed raising, etc. was approved during the year, and consideration given to some necessary drainage of old padi sections to provide suitable experimental plots. However, it was not found possible to make much headway during the year owing to the pressure of other sections of forestry activities, and the drainage work had to be postponed. Even so, a beginning was made with various experiments in connection with the local pine (P. Massoniana Lamb.), the objective being firstly, to obtain data for comparison purposes of in situ sowing and broadcasting experiments, and secondly, to obtain data regarding outturn in relation to the "leased forest lot" system. These experiments are of considerable local interest in their relation to present afforestation practices on the one hand, and outturn of firewood from the large area (81 sq. miles) under "leased forest lots" on the other.
26. Planting in this reserve consisted of the following:- Trees-Pinus Khasya Royle 154; Liquidambar formosana Hance 497; Aleurites montana Wils. 120. Experimental Plots-Ten-acre plots were laid down in connection with the experiments mentioned in the paragraph above, and necessary planting carried out.
27. Protection of Plantations-The clearing of all fire barriers and forestry paths was carried out before the commencement of the dry season. The total length of old fire barriers dealt with was 554 miles, and that of forestry paths 54 miles. A new 30′ fire barrier was made on Ngan Chau Island in connection with posts used for tests connected with sea navigation.
28. Forest and Hill Fires-The number of fires dealt with during the year was 24, one less than in the previous year. There were 19 on Hong Kong Island and 5 on the mainland. The usual distribution of handbills and the posting of warning notices prior to the Ching Ming and Chung Yeung festivals was carried out. The vernacular press kindly gave prominence to notices requesting all visitors to graves and cemeteries to take precautions against damage by fire.
The
29. Entomological Notes-During the year, the following insects were collected and identified as attacking Pinus Massoniana Lamb.:- Ips sp. (Bark borer) - A very severe attack by a member of this bark-boring genus was experienced.