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1935. N E W ZEAL A N D .

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. PUBLIC DOMAINS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NEW ZEALAND (ANNUAL REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sir,-- Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 31st August, 1935. I have the honour to submit herewith a report on the public domains and national parks of the Dominion for the year ended 31st March, 1935. I have, &c., W. Robertson, The Hon. Sir E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands. Under-Secretary for Lands.

REPORT. PART I. —PUBLIC DOMAINS. At the 31st March, 1935, the total number of public domains administered under the provisions of Part II of the Public Reserves, Domains, and National Parks Act, 1928, was 769, covering a total area of 75,450 acres. Forty-six of these domains are controlled by the various Commissioners of Crown Lands, 273 are controlled by local authorities acting as Domain Boards, and the remaining 450 are under the control of local Boards appointed from time to time. During the year five new domains, with a total area of a little over 50 acres, were reserved and brought under Part II of the Act, and arrangements made for their control. Additions totalling 136 acres were also made to twenty-one existing domains. Brief mention may be made of the new domains constituted during the year as follows : At Ngawha, near Kaikohe, a small area of Crown land containing a few of the celebrated hot springs m that vicinity was made a public domain and placed under the management of a widely representative Board of Control. It is the Board's intention to make the springs available for the use of the public, and to make the surroundings as pleasant and attractive as possible. The Department intends a little later on to reserve an additional area of Crown land adjoining as an addition to the domain to provide more space for general development. An area of a little over I h acres in the Carroll Settlement was placed under the control of the One Tree Hill Borough Council, and will be beautified and developed as a small sports area and children's playground. At Ngongotaha the residents arranged to purchase an area of 6 acres from the Rotorua County Council for recreation purposes. The land was transferred to the Crown, and a Domain Board has been appointed. A considerable amount of improvement work has been carried out by voluntary labour, and the Ngongotaha people deserve credit for their enterprise in providing themselves with a recreation-ground. At Lakeside, on the shores of Lake Ellesmere, an area of 30| acres, being portion of an old landing-reserve, was made a public domain and placed under the control of the

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