Barely 1 per cent of its area is known to be under forest, and of this a large portion is situated in the far western part of Otago, and is practically useless at the present time owing to its comparative inaccessibility and distance from a market.
The estimated amount of milling timber on Crown and private lands available for sawmilling is only 581,000,000 superficial feet, chiefly composed of rimu, amounting to four-fifths of the total quantity, the remainder being mostly matai and beech.
The only large forest now used for sawmilling is in the Catlins district, between the Molyneux and Waikawa, and consequently the greater part of the timber used in Dunedin comes from Southland.
There is another sawmilling bush at Rankleburn, but its timber is all consumed locally.
One of the recent results of this scarcity of locally-grown timber is the increasing importation of Oregon pine in long lengths.
There is a very large quantity of kamaki in the Catlins district, and this timber has hitherto not only been useless from a commercial point of view, but has been a decided hindrance to the settler and sawmiller.
Experiment has proved it useless for building purposes, and the only use it has been put to successfully is as mining props.
For this purpose there is only a very small demand, but it is possible that it might be a suitable timber for paper-making purposes.
• Waimate: The solemn blessing and opening by Bishop Grimes, of St Patrick's Church, erected by the Catholic community here, took place on Sunday.
Bishop Verdon sang the pontifical high mass in the presence of a large number of clergy and people, who attended notwithstanding the intensely cold and wet weather.
The ceremony was most successful, and the collection realised £370.
The new building, which is a magnificent structure, cost £6000, and of this sum only £110 remains to be paid.
A very successful conversazione was held this evening, the Mayor presiding.
There was a large attendance to welcome the bishops and clergy to the town and district. - ODT, 28.10.1909.
