9

C—l 3.

The bush in this country affords shelter to wild cattle, pigs, dogs, and to some extent to rabbits, and sheep affected by scab ; therefore the settlers naturally use all their endeavours to destroy all forest and scrub contiguous to their farms and runs. Active supervision will be necessary, particularly over birch forests, to prevent wasteful and extensive conflagrations, and at the same time to protect the settlers from the ravages of wild animals. I beg to suggest that the most feasible and economical way to secure these objects would be to appoint the district and assistant surveyors —and some of the chainmen, perhaps—forest rangers. There are no men in this colony better qualified to undertake the simple preliminary steps which appear necessary. I have, &c, J. W. A. Marchant, The Surveyor-General, Wellington. Chief Surveyor.

i Schedule of Descriptions of Proposed Forest Reserves, Provincial District of Wellington. Districts. Area. Acres. Rimutaka, Wairarapa, Onoke, Pencarrow, Belmont ... ... 31,400 Waiohine, Briconga, Akatarawa... ... ... ... ... 36,400 Gorge, Kairanga, Mangahao, Arawaru ... ... ... ... 20,000 Pakuratahi, Akatarawa... ... ... ... ... ... 13,800 Total ... ... ... ... ... 101,600 Descriptions of Boundaries of Proposed Forest Reserves. All that piece or parcel of land in the Provincial District of Wellington, containing about 36,400 acres, in the Waiohine, Eritonga, and Akatarawa Survey Districts. Bounded towards the north by a line about 65000 links; towards the east by the summit of the watershed between the Tauherenikau and Waiohine Rivers and by a line about 60500 links; towards the south by lines about 90500 links; and towards the west by lines about 53000 links :as the same is delineated on the plan deposited in the office of the Chief Surveyor, Wellington. Excepting and always reserving any Native reserves or other allotted sections of land falling within the said area. All that piece or parcel of land in the Provincial District of Wellington, containing about 13,800 acres, in the Pakuratahi and Akatarawa Survey Districts. Bounded towards the north-east by a line about 16500 links ; towards the east by a line about 48600 links; towards the south by a line about 26400 links ; and towards the west by lines, by a curve of 80 chains radius from Wainui Trig. Station to the summit of the main range, by a line, and by the Maungatukutuku Creek, about 98000 links : as the same is delineated on the plan deposited in the office of the Chief Surveyor, Wellington. Excepting and always reserving any Native reserves or other allotted sections of land falling within the said area. All that piece or parcel of land in the Provincial District of Wellington, containing about 31,400 acres, in the Rimutaka, Wairarapa, Onoke, Penearrow, and Belmont Survey Districts. Bounded towards the north by a railway reserve and by a line about 3200 links; towards the east by lines parallel with the western boundaries of sections numbered 85, 86, 87, 74, 73, 72, 71, 60, 59, 58, 51, 40, 36, 32, and 21, in the Western Lake Block, about 136400 links; towards the south by a line about 21900 links; and towards the west by a line, by the proposed Wellington Waterworks Reserve, and by the summit of the western watershed of the Pakuratahi River, about 148600 links: as the same is delineated on the plan deposited in the office of the Chief Surveyor, Wellington. Excepting and always reserving any Native reserves or other allotted sections of land falling within the said area. All that piece or parcel of land in the Provincial District of Wellington, containing about 20,000 acres, in the Gorge, Kairanga, Mangahao, and Arawaru Survey Districts. Bounded towards the north by the Manawatu Gorge Road, about 16000 links; towards the east by lines parallel to the summit of the Tararua Range, about 128000 links ; towards the south by a line running through Arawaru Trig. Station, about 16000 links ; towards the west by lines parallel with the summit of the Tararua Range, about 16000 links : as the same is delineated on the plan deposited in the office of the Chief Surveyor, Wellington. Excepting and always reserving any Native reserves or other allotted sections of land falling within the said area.

The Chief Surveyor, Wellington District, to the Surveyor-General. District Survey Office, Wellington, 11th September, 1884. Timber Regulations. In compliance with the instructions contained in the circular of the Ist April, 1884, I have inquired of the staff surveyors and have to report that the settlement surveys are not sufficiently advanced to enable me to define any particular reserves sufficiently for description or upon the plans. The Crown lands in the Wanganui, Waitotara, and Rangitikei districts do not comprise any suitable timber trees in patches worth reserving. In the Manawatu district Mr. Dundas reports that there are about 100 acres of totara bush up the Pohangina River, south of E Trig. Station, besides other small patches on the same river, which are being washed away by floods.

2—C. 13.