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(3) Miscellaneous (a) Little Barrier Isk&nd ( The Caretaker of this Sanctuary reports; that the native-bird life continues abundant, but that pigeons, silver-eyes, and long-tailed cuckoos have been less numerous' than usual. - A number of cats and rats has been! destroyed. Post and Telegraph Department engineers have tuned the radio telephone installation to the frequency of Musick Point, and the island is now a telegraph station. The concrete bird-bath mentioned in the previous report has now been constructed in the garden* and improvements have been made to the Caretaker's house. The two tracks to the summit have been kept cleared, and regular patrols of the sanctuary have been carried out. Visitors to the island were, as is customary, restricted to bona fide naturalists interested in ornithology and to botanists only. (b) Rotorua (1) Electrical System.—A profit has been made oijL this undertaking and the year was a fairly successful one. During the year 245 new connections were made, comprising 225 residences (38, of them State houses), 13 commercial consumers, and 7 rural connections. A sharp demand for the installation of electrical appliances is expected when control measures are eased. Work isf in progress with the Kaharoa extension, but the work in connection with other approved extensions has not been commenced because of delaysin the receipt of essential material from overseas. , £2) Water a\n ! d Bra/mage System.—One hundred and seventy new connections' to the water supply, and 5 new connections to the sewage system were made. These include the village of Ngapuna, which was reticulated by the Department for the Arawa Trust Board. This reticulation involved 3,212 ft. of new mains., Major additions to the main-street reticulations were 2,300 ft. of new 4 in. mains. Capital works were kept to the minimum, but it was necessary to install for State Forest Development and for fire-fighting 2,387 ft. of 4 in. main, and, for timber firms, 810 ft. of 3 in. piping. A major maintenance job was carried out in Fenton Street, where a 16 in. cast-iron main, after thirty-two years' service, was found for 300 ft. It was replaced with new 12-in. cast-iron main, and • precautions taken to resist acj.d action in the soil in this area. The water and drainage system is still subject to negotiations with the Rotorua Borough Council following the Commission set up to determine the transfer price as provided by the Rotorua Town Act. The Hon. the Minister in Charge of Tourist and Health Resorts has announced that, subject to certain conditions, he was prepared to recommend to Cabinet that the system be handed oyer to the Rotorua Borough Council. (3) Gardens amd Playing Areas. —Following the appointment of a Gardens Superintendent at Rotorua, a reorganization of staff has been put into effect which allows the adoption of a gardens and reserves policy on the lines of that in operation in the principal' municipalities. This means that the gardens

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