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Some areas of considerable scenic value were set aside north of the Mokihinui River, on the Westport-Karamea Road, the total area so dealt with comprising 1,624 acres of good scenic bush country. In one case, by arrangement with the State Advances Corporation, an area of 1,236 acres was withdrawn from selection and declared to be a permanent scenic reserve. The arrangements made involved the payment of a small sum in full settlement of the Corporation's interest in the land. Other Nelson reservations were those of an area of 725 acres of steep birch bush country at Saville Bay and 19 acres of attractive bush on the Rainy River. In the Marlborough Land District four areas totalling 937 acres in the Sounds district were set apart during the year. At Kauauroa Bay, in Pelorus Sound, an exchange of areas was carried out with two Crown settlers whereby an area of 264 acres of leasehold land in beautiful light bush was surrendered and so made available for reservation. To assist in the adjustment of areas the State Forest Service handed over to the Department a forest reserve of 47 acres. At the back of Nydia Bay an area of 541 acres was surrendered from a small grazing-run and set aside under the Act. In this case the arrangements made necessitated payment of the sum of £100 to the lessee by way of compensation for loss of potential grazing and possible interest in the royalty value of the tim ber on the land. The other areas dealt with comprised 123 acres of Crown land at Cullen's Point, Havelock, and 5 acres reserved as an addition to the Brown River Reserve in the Pelorus. Reservations totalling 815 acres were made in the Westland District, brief particulars being as follows : — (а) An area of 16 acres 0 roods 10 perches adjoining the Canavan's Knob Reserve at Waiho, and comprising a fine patch of bush forming part of a most attractive avenue on the main road from Waiho to Weheka. (б) An area of 31 acres 2 roods 35 perches near the Stony Creek Bridge. In these two cases arrangements were made with a Crown lessee for the surrender of the land in pursuance of the Department's policy of extending the existing scenic reservations around Waiho in the vicinity of the Franz Josef Glacier, and particularly so in the case of attractive pieces of bush on the main tourist highway. (c) An'area of 25 acres of virgin bush at Waiho Gorge, and an adjoining area of 1 acre of closed road in beautiful native bush. (d) An area of 57 acres of steep bush-clad faces in the Wataroa district. (e) An area of 103 acres of steep bush country on the Paparoa Range. (/) An area of 88 acres of bush land situated across the river from Kumar a. This area was portion of a Crown leasehold, but was surrendered by the lessee in order that it might be reserved. It has been named the " Westbrook Scenic Reserve." (g) Two closed road areas of 8 acres and 5 acres respectively at Punakaiki. (h) An area of 67 acres of Crown land covered with beautiful mixed bush and situated in full view of the main road between Marsden and Dunganville. (i) An area of 117 acres of State forest reserve and a further area of 240 acres of Crown land situated on the very popular round-trip drive from Greymouth through Marsden and back via Paroa. (j) An area of 41 acres of State forest land of great scenic beauty on the Limestone Road. (Jc) An area of 13 acres of State forest land on the main road south of Harihari. The bringing of this area under the Scenery Preservation Act completes the reservation of a magnificent avenue of native bush along the highway in that particular locality. In the Otago Land District an area of 623 acres of State forest land in heavy bush was made available for reservation under the Scenery Preservation Act. This reserve is situated on the Purakaunui River at the bay of that name on the South Otago coast, and besides being a good scenic area will make a useful sanctuary for native birds. In the Southland Land District an area of 269 acres of State forest land was added to the Haldane Scenic Reserve, on the Tokanui-Haldane Road, and with the area of 315 acres previously set aside will make a very fine scenic asset. The areas set apart throughout the Dominion during the year may be roughly classified as follows :—• Class of Land. (Acres) Crown land areas .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,408 Private land acquired by Department, assisted by local bodies and public subscriptions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,576 State forest areas made available . . . . . . . . .. 1,465 Crown leasehold areas made available in various ways .. .. .. 941 Private land acquired by Department .. . . .. .. 260 Freehold gift areas (four cases) .. .. .. .. .. 236 Native land acquired by Department .. .. .. .. 19 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 16,905 The reservation over scenic-reserve areas totalling 57 acres was revoked during the year after full inquiries into the circumstances of each case. The number of scenic reservations in the Dominion is now 1,118, covering a total area of over 819,000 acres.

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