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Statement of Accounts showing the Amounts expended, and the Purposes to which the Money s6 expended have been applied, for the Year ended 31st March, 1909. Amount expended. Purchase of land (private land), — £ s. d. £ s. d. Onamalutu Scenic Reserve (Marlborough).. .. .. .. 4 5 7 Paraparaumu Scenic Reserve (Block IX, Kaitawa).. .. .. 34 0 0 Part Section 209, Block IV, Belmont .. .. .. 273 18 9 Rotorua-Okoroire Scenic Reserve (Sections 11, 12, 14, and 16, Block XIV, and Section 12, Block XV, Rotorua) .. .. 359 5 4 Sections 11, 12, Block XVI, Tiriraukawa .. .. .. ... 82 0 0 Taieri Native Reserve (Sections 29, 30, and part 28) .. . . 300 0 0 Wairoa River Banks Scenic Reserve (Sections 112 a and 113 a. Wairoa) 17 8 9 1,070 18 5 Credit, Wellington City Council, — Balance of share of purchase-money of Wilton's Bush .. .. 59 0 0 1,011 18 5 Purchase of land (Native land), — Kumutoto Scenic Reserve (Block I, Arapawa) .. .. '.. 917 9 2 Mangaotaki Scenic Reserve (part Karu-o-te-whenua B No. 2b No. 5a Block) .. .. .. .. 155 0 0 Meeting of the Waters, New Plymouth (Block X, Paritutu) . . .. 64 8 9 Muaupoko ANo 2 Block (part), Block X, Kaitawa) .. . . 405 4 9 Pipiriki Mineral Springs (Block X, Rareie) .. .. .. 45 0 0 Tongoio Falls Scenic Reserve (Block IV, Puketapu) ... , . 151 17 2 Wairua Falls Scenic Reserve (Blocks IV and XVI, Mangakahia) .. 146 14 5 Waitomo Caves (Block X, Orahiri) .. .. 915 12 1 2,801 6 4 Administration (including fencing) .. .. . . .. .. .. 1,063 12 1 Boards' expenses (meetings, &c.) .... .. . . . . .. 23 17 0 Inspector, £300 ; Secretary, £25 . . .. . . .. .. .. 325 0 0 Miscellaneous (surveys, valuations, &c.) . . .. .. .. .. 539 11 4 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £5,765 5 2

APPENDIX B. Report by tub Inspector op Scenic Reserves. During the year I have inspected fifty-five scenic reserves in the Auckland Land District, with an area of 14,746 acres ; and in the Wellington Land District I have inspected forty-four reserves, with an area of 2,616 acres ; or, altogether, ninety-nine reserves, with a total area of 17,362 acres. In addition to the foregoing, I have reported on the Whangape Hot Springs, Waiakake Bush, Day's Bay Reserve, bush on Puketoi Range, Makuri Gorge, milling operations, Mokau River, Turakina Bush, and proposed Rangitikei reserves. In the middle of November Mr. C. T. Salmon, an authorized assistant under Mr. E. P. Turner, was started on the delimitation of the proposed reserves along the railway near Ohakune ; and at the beginning of March Mr. J. H. Lindsay was put on to cut out the proposed reserves near Turangarere. On inspection of the several pieces of bush that had been proposed as reserves by the late Commissioners and the Preservation Board, it was found that in several instances between Mangaweka and Turangarere the bush had been leased to millers, and spoiled for scenery purposes ; it seems, therefore, advisable that the Act should be so amended that when it has been decided to acquire a parcel of land for scenic purposes the owner or any other person could be prevented from damaging it in any way. It would be an advantage, also, if when any parcel of land is proclaimed a scenic reserve it if so facto came under the provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act, The surveys of the parcels of Native land to be acquired along the North Island Main Trunk Railway will be completed about the middle of April, and then I propose (with your approval) putting the two survey parties to cut out the proposed reserves along the Wanganui River. Damage by Grazing. —ln nearly every reserve inspected I found that stock were in the habit of grazing ;so far, however, in most reserves the damage done is comparatively slight; and if stock be hereafter excluded the undergrowth will soon recover. Some of the small reserves, however, close to townships have been looked upon as commons, and the settlers have been permitted to run their cattle, horses, &c, ad libitum. If our reserves are really to be preserved in their natural beauty, it will be necessary to prohibit this wholesale grazing of stock. I pointed out at some length in a report sent in in November how authorities in other countries were all of opinion that grazing in forests is extremely detrimental. It is the same here as elsewhere : stock destroy the ferns, mosses, shrubs, and young trees, trample down the soft and spongy natural surface of the ground, drying winds sweept in, and sooner or later the big trees themselves die or are blown down. Stock also are one of the chief factors that aid the spread of noxious weeds, for they carry many seeds in their dung, and by trampling down the native undergrowth make a suitable bed for the growth of wind-blown seeds and the seeds