H.—2

representation in the larger towns and cities where the facts do not as yet justify the establishment of our- own offices. Following this policy, agents have been appointed during the past year in Greymouth and Palmsrston North, and further appointments at other centres are proposed. The booking bureaux within the Dominion continue to handle a very large proportion of the traffic, but a decided decline in business which became evident from the beginning of 1931 has seriously affected the returns for the past financial year. Steps have been taken to secure all possible economy in operation, and staff has in some cases been drafted to vacancies elsewhere. Steps are now being considered to effect further economies, particularly at Auckland and Wellington, while maintaining the high standard of efficiency set in previous periods. The staff at the bureaux have again been called upon to work long hours during the summer, and leave is granted only during the autumn and winter months. The Department provides and directly controls facilities at various scenic resorts, particularly at Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, Morere Springs, Lake Waikaremoana, Te Aroha, Queenstown, and on the Glade House - Milford Track. These activities have unfortunately been affected financially by the general falling-off in traffic, and every endeavour has been made to reduce costs of operation. The Department also controls, under the Tourist and Health Resorts Control Act, a number of reserves of scenic value, and properties, several of which have been leased (usually under stringent conditions) to private interests. The more important of these are the Hermitage and Reserves in the Mount Cook area, Te Anau Hotel and Reserves, Maruia Springs Reserve (recently leased), and the Wairakei Valley Reserve. The Department also controls the bird sanctuaries on Little Barrier and Resolution Islands. Action is continuously taken to improve the tourist facilities in the Dominion, and this Department, in conjunction with the Public Works Department, carries out work of this nature in many parts of the Dominion. In Appendix A of this report references are made to the various works undertaken during the past year. The appendix also contains extracts from the annual reports of officers controlling branches within the Dominion and overseas. Financial. The revenue of the Department during the financial year under review was £68,524, a decrease of £6,559 over that of the previous year, and the expenditure, including the Overseas Publicity Branch, was £120,413, as against £130,615 for the previous year. The following tables give details of revenue and expenditure for the past six years; also the receipts and expenditure at the main tourist resorts : — Return of Receipts, 1925-31. 1925-26. 1926-27. 1927-28. 1928-29. 1929-30. 1930-31. £ £ £ £ £ £ Receipts .. .. 55,391 61,674 65',447 72,658 75,083 68,524 Return of Expenditure, 192-5-31, 1925-26. 1926-27. 1927-28. 1928-29. 1929-30. 1930-31. £ £ £ £ £ £ Consolidated Fund .. 70,794 76,378 76,865 82,987 130,615* 120,413* Public Works Fund .. 45,096 31,981 36,673 39,254 20,546 60,288 * Includes expenditure of Overseas Publicity Branch. Passenger Booking Branch—Ticket Sales.—l 929-30, £201,766 ; 1930-31, £173,930 : decrease, £27,836.

Statement of Receipts and Expenditure at Main Resorts.

5

Year 1930-31. Year 1929-30. M © r> H rt d H « «9* B "OoS " O S § Resort. © ** © S* -? .«« S9 4 3 s °gi « a 2.1.8' ° n « -S ".■§.& "8 .5* a m 1a " " f S .& a ®"s s> $ ® g © 2 o § © & =s © 2 © § © © > £ o g< nft« S»' § g< MftPSgoS £ £ £ £ ££££ TeAroha .. „. .. 1,244 3,541 2,297 .. 1,427 3,391 1,964 .. Rotorua .. .. .. 38,367 39,330 963 .. 38,090 34,829 .. 3,261 Rotorua Acclimatization District .. 1,456 855 .. 601 2,677 2,074 .. 603 Waitomo Caves.. .. .. 10,352 8,391 .. 1,961 12,968 9,022 .. 3,946 Lake House, Waikaremoana .. 2,491 3,585 1,094 .. 2,644 3,042 398 Queenstown .. .. .. 223 735 512 .. 354 1,069 715 Glade House and Milford Track .. 2,845 7,179 4,334 .. 3,791 6,44-9 2,658 Morere Hot Springs .. .. 539 394 .. 145 715 436 .. 279 Passenger-booking Bureaux .. 7,893 12,296 4,403 .. 9,704 13,494 3,790