C—6

The only reservation made in the Gisborne Land District was that of an area of 613 acres of precipitous and broken bush country on the Ruakituri River, situated in full view of the main WairoaWaimana Road. The preservation of this bush will add greatly to the beauty of the route, and the land has also a certain amount of historic interest, as it was from the shelter of the forest there that Captain Carr and Lieutenant Canning, whose graves are on the opposite side of the river, were shot while pursuing the retreating Hauhaus in August, 1868. In the Taranaki District a narrow bush-clad sidling of 55-|- acres fronting on the Kururau Highway near Taumarunui, and possessing considerable interest from a scenic point of view, was permanently set aside during the year. An area of 27 acres 3 roods 30 perches adjoining the old Weraroa Experimental Farm, and previously reserved under the Land Act for the preservation of native bush, was declared subject to the Scenery Preservation Act, and a small intersecting closed road area was also proclaimed for scenic purposes. Several reservations were made in the Nelson Land District during the year. These included the setting-aside of an area of 527J acres of splendid native bush overlooking the Buller River near Owen Junction ; an area of 471 acres on the road from Christchurch to Reefton by way of the Lewis Pass ; and areas totalling 186 acres 2 roods 8 perches facing the Astrolabe Roadstead, Tasman Bay. Bight small areas, totalling some 315 acres, were set apart in various parts of the Marlborough Land District. Included in these reservations was an area, of 50J acres at Kaireperepe, in Queen Charlotte Sound, transferred to the Crown for scenic purposes by Mrs. C. W. Parker. The Lake Rotokino Reserve, Westland District, mentioned in last year's report, was completed by the reservation of an area of 461 acres, comprising the lake itself and portion of the bed of the Rotokino River ; but the outstanding feature of the year was the reservation for scenic purposes of areas totalling 125,000 acres in the vicinity of the Fox Glacier and the Copland, Twain, and Karangarua Rivers. This magnificent region embraces numerous glaciers, including the Fox, and many noble peaks, and is destined from its varied attractions to become one of the principal scenic assets of our Dominion. It is intersected by the Copland Track, which continues, via Fitzgerald Pass and the Hooker Glacier, to the Mount Cook Hermitage. The walk over this track already promises to become one of the most popular on the West Coast, and trampers from Canterbury can arrange to be met by horses on the Westland side at Welcome Flat, where there are hot springs and a tourist hut. Last year's report included a most valuable paper on these areas, and also the Franz Joseph Reserve, contributed by Dr. L. Cockayne and Dr. E. Teichelmann, and dealing principally with the botanical features of the reserves. It was hoped this year to publish a further article by Mr. A. P. Harper, president of the New Zealand Alpine Club, on the physical and topographical features of the reserves, but unfortunately publication has had to be held over, for reasons of economy, until a more favourable opportunity. In the Canterbury Land District an area of 63 acres 1 rood 5 perches on the Port Hills, and lying between the Sugar Loaf Reserve and Victoria Park, was given to the Crown by Mr. J. J. Thomson, and duly set aside under the Scenery Preservation Act on completion of transfer. This gift was a particularly generous one, as Mr. Thomson was one of the donors of the original Sugar Loaf Reserve, and the land will prove a valuable addition to the splendid chain of reserves on the hills. The control of the new reserve has been vested in the Summit Road Scenic Reserves Board. A reserve of 37 acres which had been set apart under the Land Act, 1892, for the preservation of forest for scenery and climatic purposes was declared to be subject to the Scenery Preservation Act; and an exchange was completed whereby the Crown received two areas, of 28 acres 1 rood 20 perches and 6 acres 2 roods 27 perches respectively, of scenic value. These three areas are situated on the Port Hills, east of Akaroa. The Mapoutahi Pa area of 4 acres, near Purakanui, Dunedin, was set apart as an historic reserve during the year. This area, which is practically an island at high tide, is the site of an old Maori pa, and is well known to visitors to the locality. It possesses considerable historical and scientific interest, and is one of the very few places of its kind now left in the South Island. The control of the reserve has been vested in the Otago University Council. An area of 16 perches on the crown of Puketapu Hill, Palmerston South, was donated by Mr. J. Philip, and was set apart for historic purposes. The land has been utilized as a site for the Sir John McKenzie Memorial Cairn, which has been erected by the Government. The revocation of the scenic reservation over areas totalling some 1,469 acres was arranged during the year for various reasons. In all cases very full investigations were made before the issue of the revoking Proclamations. Four portions of Reserve No. Bin the Buller Gorge, totalling 294 acres 2 roods 38 perches, were taken under the Public Works Act for the purposes of the WestportInangahua railway. The number of scenic reservations in the Dominion is now 871, covering a total area of some 641,738 acres. Scenery Preservation Board. Meetings of the Scenery Preservation Board were held in the office of the Under-Secretary, Native Department, Wellington, on the 22nd May, 1930 (North Auckland District), and the 12th June, 1930 (Hawke's Bay District). A meeting was also held in the office of the Surveyor-General, Wellington, on the 22nd July, 1930 (Auckland, Gisborne, Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, Canterbury, and Otago Districts). Twenty-three recommendations were submitted by the Board to His Excellency the GovernorGeneral for the acquisition and reservation of areas of scenic and historic interest throughout the Dominion under the provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act.

2