H.—26.

Bess. 11.—1891. NEW ZEALAND.

BOTANIC GARDEN BOARD, 1890-91. (TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL REPORT.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Ills Excellency.

Meetings of the Board were held during the past year on the following dates : 29th November, 1890; 10th April and 3rd August, 1891. From the Treasurer's statement of accounts it will be seen that the expenditure for the year amounts to £198145. 5d., nearly the whole of which has been expended on the wages of two men. The revenue of the Board is, with the exception of a small sum for the sale of plants, derived from the statutory share of the rents of the Town Belt, the amount received for the twelve months ending the 31st March, 1891, being £171 12s. 9d. The balance in hand, after paying all liabilities, is, according to the attached statement, £37 11s. sd. During the year the work of underbrushing, planting, and other improvements, has steadily progressed. The Board regrets that the small amount of funds at its disposal does not permit it to proceed with the eradication of the gorse, which has spread to a dangerous extent in the upper part of the Domain, and especially along the boundary of the Upland Farm. All the land which the Board cleared in that locality some years ago at great expense has been again overtaken by the gorse, which spreads from the neighbouring property. Another work very urgently required is a general repair and renewal of the fencing. That portion which bounds Tinakori Eoad is almost useless for protection, and, being nearly twenty-five years old, most of the posts are rotten at the foot, and during the scarcity of fuel last year at the time of the strike, a great deal of the fence was purloined. The cost of clearing the gorse and repairing the fencing would be about £200. If the Board could get a special grant of this amount, and, in addition to the ordinary income from rents, have an annual subsidy of £100, the Domain could be maintained in creditable order, and much useful work in the way of raising and distributing trees and shrubs could be accomplished. Contributions of seeds and shrubs have been received during the past year as follows: From the Director of Botanic Gardens at Jamacia, from the Botanic Gardens at Bangalore, from Crown Lands Department in Wellington, and from Messrs. Mason, Duthie, Harding, Kirk of Wellington, and Mr. Bell of Greymouth. In view of proposed changes in the management of the Domain, the Board think it desirable again to report on the past history of the operations as detailed in the attached memorandum. Approved by the Board. James Heotoe, W. B. D. Mantell, Manager. Chairman. 3rd August, 1891. ■ Botanic Gabdbn Board. —Accounts foe 1890-91. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance in hand, 23rd July, 1890 .. .. 57 18 7 Garden work, including keeper's salary, Statutory share of rents from Wellington Town nursery work, roads, &c. .. .. 193 17 10 Belt for twelve months ending 31st March, For tools, ironwork, &c. .. .. 4 16 7 1891 .. .. .. .. 171 12 9 ; Balance in hand, .. .. .. 37 11 5 Sale of plants .. .. .. .. 619 6 i £236 5 10 [ £236 5 10 W. T. L. Tkavees, Hon. Treasurer.

Memobandum. The following is a brief abstract of the circumstances under which the various reserves now comprised in the Wellington Botanic Garden have become vested in the Board : — In 1866 (or soon after the establishment of the seat of Government in Wellington) it was represented to the Government that important results for the benefit of the colony might follow the establishment of a garden that would form the basis of operations for a system of forest propagation throughout New Zealand. These views were urged in Parliament, especially by Messrs. Mantell