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Areas totalling 1,317 acres in the Marlborough Land District were set apart during the year, brief particulars being as follows :— («) An area of 93 acres of heavy bush in Nydia Bay, Pelorus Sound. This area, which will form a valuable addition to the existing reserves in Nydia Bay, was purchased for £100 from the Brownlee Investment Co., Ltd. (b) An area of 147 acres at Brooklyn Bay, Havelock, acquired from the State Advances Corporation for the sum of £50. (c) An area of 966 acres on the north shore of the Mahakipawa arm of Pelorus Sound, about four miles from Havelock, comprising 951 acres of abandoned leasehold in which the State Advances Corporation was interested as mortgagee, and 25 acres of freehold offered to the Department for reserve purposes by the Official Assignee. A payment of £150 was made to the Corporation in full satisfaction of its interest in improvements on the 951 acres. (d) An area of 110 acres of rough bush land in the Hundalee district, south of Kaikoura. The land was surrendered from a lease of a small grazing-run. In the Westland Land District an area of 215 acres was added to the reserves in the Marsden Road locality, and an area of 100 acres to the Omotumotu Scenic Reserve alongside the Greymouth Borough boundary. In Otago an area of 37 acres of unformed coastal road was closed and brought under the provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act so as to give the fullest possible protection to the Opiti Blowhole and other natural features in the vicinity. The blowhole is a popular attraction to people visiting the beach at Jack's Bay. It lies about 6 chains from high-water mark, is some 100 ft. in length by 50 ft. in width, and has a depth of probably 140 ft. When heavy seas are running it presents a wonderful sight. A natural tunnel piercing a headland nearby is also of considerable interest. The locality is within easy reach of Pounawea, and people staying at that popular resort usually make a trip to the blowhole during their holiday. In Southland an area of 16 acres of particularly fine bush in an education-endowment leasehold near the Town of Wyndham was set apart for scenic purposes during the year. The thanks of the Department are due to the lessees for their public-spirited action in surrendering the area and to the Education Department for agreeing to the land being taken out of the education endowment. The Lands Department carried out the survey and bore all incidental expenses in the matter. The areas set apart throughout the Dominion during the year may be roughly classified as follows :— Class of Land. . A rea . (Acres). Education endowment set aside by special legislation .. .. .. 2,207 Private and Native land acquired by Department .. .. .. 1,510 Crown leasehold areas made available in various ways .. .. .. 1,247 Private and Native land taken under Public Works Act .. .. .. 322 Crown land and closed road areas .. .. .. .. .. 400 Freehold gift areas (two cases) .. .. .. .. .. 178 Obtained in exchange for Crown land .. .. .. .. .. 50 Private land acquired by Department assisted by local bodies and public subscriptions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,951 The reservation over scenic reserve areas totalling 45 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 1,138, covering a total area of 825,255 acres. Supervision of Reserves. During the year special Scenic Boards were appointed or reappointed as follows : The Nelson City Council, to control the Ururakau and Dun Mountain Scenic Reserves; the Urenui Pa Scenic Board, to control the Urenui Pa Scenic and Historic Reserve; the Matamata County Council, to control the Maungatautari Mountain Scenic Reserve; the Tuatapere Scenic Board, to control the Tuatapere Scenic Reserves; the Te Kuiti Borough Council, to control the Mangaokewa Gorge Scenic Reserve ; the Rangitikei County Council, to control the Greystoke Scenic Reserve ; the Moana Scenic Board, to control various reserves around Lake Brunner; the Taumarunui Borough Council, to control three small reserves near the borough; the Waitotara County Council, to control the Ngawaierua Scenic Reserve; the Riwaka Scenic Board, to control the Riwaka Scenic Reserve; the Waima Scenic and Historic Board, to control the Waima Scenic and Historic Reserve; the Ashburton County Council, to control the Sharplin Falls Scenic Reserve; the Wairarapa Lakeshore Scenic Board, to control the Wairarapa Lake-shore Scenic Reserve ; the Cook County Council, to control a reserve of 96 acres; the Pukekohe Borough Council, to control a small reserve in the borough; and the Akaroa Borough Council, to control the Britomart Historic Reserve. The Department is represented on the Urenui Pa Scenic Board. Additional areas were placed under the control of the Ship Cove, Punakaiki, Hundalee, Kirk's Bush, and Pelorus Bridge Scenic Boards. Eighty-five ladies and gentlemen were appointed as honorary Inspectors of Scenic Reserves. The supervision exercised by the honorary Inspectors is very much appreciated by the Department, and assists materially in restricting trespasses of various kinds and damage to reserves by thoughtless people.

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