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but it includes an area of 60 acres generously donated to the Crown by Mrs. 0. M. Medland, of "Temuka, Arrangements were made some time ago for the surrender of a Crown leasehold of 469 acres in an isolated locality about two miles off the' Whangarei-Russell Main Road, and the land has now been made a permanent reserve. About 400 acres is in virgin bush growing on steep broken country with cliff faces and sharp ridges. There is a considerable amount of kauri regeneration throughout, with bigger trees in the gullies. In last year's report reference was made to the acquisition of some 14 acres of bush at Birkenhead by co-operation between the Department, local authorities and other organizations, and the general public. This area has now been reserved and placed under'the control of a special Board representative of the Department, local authorities, and educational and botanical interests. The Board is so constituted that it will be possible 'later on to include under its control further scenic areas that may be acquired in the locality or existing reserves which may be found to be in need of close local supervision. On the hillside overlooking the Town of Kaikohe an area of 131 acres of light bush was acquired from the Maori owners by way of an'exchaiige of land and set aside for, scenic purposes, for. which it is well suited. The neW' reserve will be valuable also for water conservation, as it adjoins an area held by the Borough Council for that purpose.' 'Control of the new reserve will be vested in the Borough Council.. The land given to the Maoris in exchange comprised an area of 275 acres of provisional State forest which' the Forest Service made available to complete the transaction. On the Takitu Road about 20 miles north of Dargaville an area of 141 acres of Crown land in light mixed bush was set apart under the Act. The reserve is part of a high ridge, and although at present the- bush growth is not very strong, it is expected that natural regeneration will eventually result in a good forest cover. The land had at one time been held under lease, 'but proved unsuitable for farming. The last North Auckland reservation during the year was that of an area of about acres near Titirangi which became vested in the Crown as a recreation reserve on the subdivision of private property. The land is steep and unsuitable for organized recreation, but contains a fine kauri and other trees. It was therefore considered desirable that it should be brought under the provisions of the Scenery Preservation Act as a scenic reserve, and special legislation (section 7 of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Act, 1949) was passed accordingly. Adjoining, there is another small area which contains some fine kauris and which it is expected will also become vested in the Crown and so available for reservation. A special Scenic Board of local residents will ultimately be appointed to control and safeguard these areas. Reservations in the South Auckland Land District totalled 661 acres. When the country to the east of Lake Rotoma was subdivided and -offered for selection, strips of bush land of adequate width adjacent to the lake were cut out and retained for scenic purposes, but the actual reservation of the land was overlooked. That omission has now been rectified, and the areas in question, some 200 acres in all, have been set apart as permanent reserves. Three attractive bush areas in the Waipa Valley (Otorohanga district) totalling approximately 333 acres were also reserved during the year. They formed portion of the Otoru Farm Settlement, and were withheld from disposal when the block was subdivided for the settlement of servicemen. Not very far away another area of 128 acres in the Waipa Valley was also reserved. This area, most of which is in bush of scenic value, formed portion of a Crown leasehold ; but on account of its steepness arrangements were made whereby the lessee agreed to . surrender it from his lease so that it could be made a scenic reserve. In the Taranaki Land District the Forest Service made available for reservation under the Scenery Preservation Act an area of 91f acres of State forest on the Waitara River near Purangi Village, about twenty-five miles from Inglewood. It is steep and broken country mostly in tawa, and while the bush is not heavy it stands out attractively from the scenic point of view, .

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