5

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The late Mr. B. M. Wilson occupied a seat on the Board as General Manager of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts. As head of that Department he had been closely associated with the development of the park for many years, and by his death the Board lost a most valued member. The vacancies in the membership were filled by the appointment of Messrs. E. A. Marchant and F. F. Hockly, whilst Mr. G. W. Clinkard, as the Permanent Head of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, takes up the seat formerly occupied by the late Mr. Wilson. In addition, His Excellency the Governor-General has been pleased to appoint Mr. F. Langstone, M.P., as a member of the Board. Finances. As stated in last year's report, arrangements were made under the powers conferred by the Tongariro National Park Act, 1922, and section 36 of the Finance Act, 1928, to borrow from the Public Trustee the sum of £40,000 for the purpose of an advance to the Tongariro Park Tourist Co., Ltd., for the erection of the hostel and other facilities at Whakapapa. To give full effect to the hostel proposals and provide facilities necessary the company found that the capital outlay would be greater than was originally anticipated, and upon further representations being made to the Government the borrowing-powers were extended by section 45 of the Finance Act, 1929. Pursuant to this authority, the Board arranged to borrow an additional sum of £20,000 from the Public Trustee, and to advance the amount to the company. The sum of £3,750 advanced to the company out of the Board's own funds was paid over during the year, and is repayable by equal half-yearly instalments of principal and interest extending over a term of twenty years. Under the will of the late Mr. W. Salt the funds of the Board will benefit by the sum of £100, and this bequest is a further indication of the very keen interest taken by the late Mr. Salt in the development of the park. It is proposed to expend the sum donated on some permanent work which will perpetuate his memory. At the 31st March, 1930, the funds of the Board available for expenditure stood at £1,779 6s. lid. The expenditure on urgent development works of a considerable portion of the available funds is now receiving attention. Attached hereto are statements setting out the financial position of the Board. Future Development. The development works which are contemplated, and to which, reference has been made in this report, can be regarded only as a contribution towards meeting the many pressing requirements for the public pleasure and convenience in the park. The Board has done its best with its limited financial resources ; and by the lease and the financial facilities arranged for the Tongariro Park Tourist Co., Ltd., the splendid new Chateau was made possible. Future development of the park depends largely not so much on the Board itself, but upon the support which will be extended by the New Zealand public to this splendid national heritage. Situated in the Wellington Province, half way between the cities of Auckland and Wellington, at an altitude at the Chateau of 3,750 ft., it affords a play-ground of wonderful attraction to the people. That such should be appreciated by the New Zealand public, and that a generous measure of support should be accorded is the sincere hope of the Board. If a full measure of public support and patronage is forthcoming, then the success of the Chateau is assured, and both the past and the further development of the park will be justified. One of the disabilities under which the Board suffers is the lack of any general substantial revenue. It is without any endowments from which funds for the park might be drawn ; it has practically no capital moneys. In the past it has received several generous private bequests and two local-body contributions —viz., from the Wellington City Council and the Auckland City Council. The general Government, too, has been generous with the Board, rendering to it reasonable financial assistance. A stimulation of public interest and patronage, it would be reasonable to assume, would bring to the Board further private bequests, to assist in the development of the park, and would afford additional warrant for the Government continuing its support and assistance to the Board in its development plans. The park, being on the main line of tourist traffic from the thermal district to the Main Trunk Railway line, is favourably situated to attract increasing patronage from overseas visitors.