DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY PUBLIC DOMAINS AND NATIONAL PARKS OF NEW ZEALAND (ANNUAL REPORT ON)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1944 Session I, C-10

C.—lo

1944 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, 20th July, 1944. 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, 1944. I have, &c., R. G. Macjmorran, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Hon. the Minister of Lands.

REPORT PART I. PUBLIC DOMAINS At the 31st March, 1944, the total number of public domains administered under the provisions of Part II of the Public Reserves, Domains, and National Parks Act, 1928, was 812, covering a total area of approximately 79,354. acres. Forty-four of these domains are controlled by the various Commissioners of Crown Lands, 299 are controlled by local authorities acting as Domain Boards, and the remaining 469 are controlled by local Boards appointed from time to time. During the year two new domains, with a total area of 14 acres, were reserved and brought under Part II of the Act, and arrangements made for their control. Additions totalling approximately 169 acres were made to fifteen existing domains. Particulars of the new domains are as follows : — An area of 1| acres, being a recreation reserve at Thornton's Bay, near Thames, was brought under Part II of the Act, and named the Ngarimu Domain in honour of the late SecondLieutenant Ngarimu, the Maori winner of the Victoria Cross, who was killed in the Tunisian campaign. The domain has a splendid outlook and lends itself well to being converted into a fine recreation-ground : The other domain constituted during the year comprised a number of recreation' reserves of a total area of approximately 12 acres situated on Waiheke Island. This domain is known as the Palm Beach Domain. f Additions to existing domains were made as follows : —

Land District. Domain. Area added. j A. E. P. North Auckland .. .. •• Mount Smart .. .. • ■ 13 0 25-3 .. Orewa .. .. .. •• 13 8-5 " t .. .. .. Whenuanui .. ■■ •• 0 2 6-5 Auckland .. .. •• Ngongotaha • ••! 0 2 30-02 .. Taupo .. .. • • • ■ 2 1 35 ;; ;; Tm Park .. . .. 96 2 18 Wellington .. .. .. ■ ■ Kaitawa 1 0 0 .. Nukumaru .. . .. 4 3 28-6 Rongomai .. . • • • 2 0 0 Nelson .. . ■ • • • ■ Kaiteriteri .. . . ■ ■ 1 1 30 Canterbury .. . • • ■ • • Christ church City and Suburban .. 0 2 19-1 Wainui .. .. ■ • • • 0 0 29-2 Otapo . • • • • • • ■ Alexandra .. .. • • 3 1 24 .. .. Greenwich Square • 4 2 20 Hawea .. . . • 35 0 11 J> * ' Total area added to fifteen domains .. .. . 168 2 5-22

C.—10

2

The area of 13 acres added to the Mount Smart Domain was acquired from private owners, the finance being provided out of accumulated funds at the credit of the Domain Board's account. This land will provide a valuable adjunct to the present domain when the latter is fully developed. The addition to the Tui Park Domain comprises approximately 96 acres of steep hill country adjacent to the Borough of Te Aroha. Planting operations have been carried out on the area, which is controlled by the Borough Council in the capacity of a Domain Board. The area of 35 acres added to the Hawea Domain is situated along the shore of Lake Hawea. The Domain Board proposes to plant trees on the area and to generally beautify the reserve. PART lI.—NATIONAL PARKS No new national park areas were set aside during the year, nor were any additions made to existing parks. Grants of £500 to the Egmont National Park Board and £150 to the Arthur Pass National Park Board were made for general administration and improvement purposes.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (518 copies), £2 10s.

Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1944.

Price 3d.\