0.-10.

1941. NEW ZEALAND.

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.

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist August, 1941. Sir, — 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, 1941. I have, &c., li. G. Macmobean, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands.

REPORT.

PART I.—PUBLIC DOMAINS. At the 31st March, 1941, the total number of public domains administered under the provisions of Part II of the Public Reserves, Domains, and National Parks Act, 1928, was 794, covering a total area of some 77,385 acres. Fifty-four of these domains are controlled by the various Commissioners of Crown Lands, 276 are controlled by local authorities acting as Domain Boards, and the remaining 464 are controlled by local Boards appointed from time to time. During the year eight new domains with a total area of 398 acres were reserved and brought under Part II of the Act and arrangements made for their control. Additions totalling 112 acres were also made to twenty-three existing domains. The new domains comprised the following An area of 5 acres at Ngatea purchased prior to the end of the previous financial year was placed under the control of a Domain Board comprising local residents. There was a pressing need for a recreation-ground in this township, and the constitution of the area as a public domain will meet a long-felt want in this growing district. Since the land was purchased the size of the domain has been increased by 5 acres by the addition of small Crown reserves and the acquisition of a section by way of an exchange. During the previous year some 41 acres at Hot-water Beach, a few miles south of Mercury Bay, had been acquired for recreation purposes under the Public Works Act. This area has now been constituted as the Hot-water Beach Domain, and placed under the control of the Coromandel County Council. The domain contains some native bush, including a number of fine pohutukawas, while the beach at this point is an excellent one. An added attraction is the appearance of hot springs in the sand at low tide.