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TABANAKI. Department of Lands and Survey, District Office, New Plymouth, 10th June, 1902. Preservation of Native Forest. In reply to your ci n this subject, dated the 10th March last, I have the honour to reply as follows :— Taking the Taranaki District as a whole, it owes much of its productiveness to the fact of its having such a copious rainfall, and by experts this is largely accounted for by the position and altitude of Mount Egmont, together with the adjoining ranges of Pouakei and Patua, rising to a total elevation of 8,260 ft. above the sea-level, which in themselves seem to have an almost magic influence in attracting clouds and moisture, as well as in the regulation of the air-currents, in this part of the colony. The only other forest-clad lands of any considerable height are the Umukaimata and Waiaraia Eanges, forming the watershed between the Middle Mokau, Ohura, and Tangarakau Eivers, rising to a little over 2,000 ft. Another lesser range is that lying between the Ohura and Ongarue Rivers, which has a somewhat similar elevation ; and in the south-east there is the Matemateaonga Range, which practically commands the eastern watershed of the Patea River, as also the head-waters of the Whenuakura and Waitotara Rivers, whilst at the same time this prominent tract of country has not a little influence on a portion of the Wanganui River watershed, the highest point reaching an elevation of about 2,500 ft. These may be said to include the whole real high-lying points of Taranaki, and if on these alone the timber can be preserved the climatic conditions will be fairly equalised, and anything in the shape of serious droughts certainly in the future avoided. The approximate aggregate area of these blocks, which are either reserved or proposed to be reserved, would be about 245,000 acres. Supplementary to these, however, from a climatic point of view, but still contributing to the same result, are the ranges about Mount Messenger lying south of the Tongaporutu River, having an altitude rising to 1,300 ft., which include some magnificent scenery and the well-known Parrininihi or White Cliffs, the latter being the most conspicuous landmark on this part of the coast. This area altogether is about 10,000 acres. Again, nearer New Plymouth, and inland from Urenui, on the western side of the central portion of the Waitara River, reservations have been made, amounting altogether to about 9,000 acres, at an altitnde rising to, say, 1,200 ft. approximately. These may be said to take in all reserves necessary for climatic purposes. There are smaller ones, however, as the schedules will show. The remaining portions of the land district are a series of terraces and ridges, without any well-defined leading ranges, all more or less of one height, somewhat of a rolling-downs character, though rivers and streams sometimes run in deep gorgy chasms, particularly as you get further towards the east. Notwithstanding its broken nature, the country is nearly always productive, often looking green and fresh when districts further south are parched. Following on these come proposed scenery reservations, and I may mention here that as yet, with the exception of only 29 acres, no reserves have been technically set aside for this purpose, the gazetting being for "the growth and preservation of timber" and "State forests"; so that, broadly speaking, they all come under the category of forest reserves. Egmont Domain, however, although originally a forest reserve, is now designated the " Egmont National Park," and is governed by special legislation. Taking these suggested scenery reserves therefore geographically, one is on the south side of the Mokau River. This waterway is navigable for steamers with a draught of 7-J ft. to twenty-three miles from the mouth, and for partially boat and canoe navigation for another thirty miles, or over fifty miles in all. Some forty miles of this distance is forest-clad, but still virtually under Native title, embracing scenery that is grand and picturesque in the extreme, somewhat similar to the Wanganui River, but the rapids are, it is stated, less difficult to negotiate. It is suggested that, in the interests of future tourists and lovers of nature generally, it is most desirable that the scenery on the banks of this beautiful river should be preserved for posterity. With this end in view, a strip half a mile wide is proposed. For similar reasons to the foregoing the same width is thought necessary on either side of che Mohakatino, a smaller stream to the south of the Mokau, also Native land. The only other large reservation suggested is that on the west side of the Wanganui River, partly Crown and partly Native land, between Pipiriki and the confluence of the Wanganui and Ohuru Rivers; this, however, will come under the scope of the Wanganui River Trust, but I mention it with the rest. I may mention also that along the river banks and streams very liberal reservations have been made during the past twelve years in the course of carrying out ordinary sectional surveys, probably averaging on the whole two to three chains in width. Summarising the existing reserves and those now suggested, they will be somewhat as follows (excluding river-bank reserves quoted above): — Cbown Lands. a, c , p . Forest reserve gazetted, including Egmont Park, &c, ... 153,630 3 0 Including surveyed and proposed to gazette ... ... 28,388 0 0 Including proposed and unsurveyed ... ... ... 97,520 0 0 Total Crown lands of reserved and proposals ... ... 279,538 3 0 Forest reserves suggested on Native lands, total .. ... 25,300 0 0 Scenery reserves in Crown land ... ... ... 5,629 0 0 Scenery reserves in Native land ... ... ... ... 31,230 0 0 Grand total of reserves, forest and scenery, and those proposed on Crown and Native lands ... ... ... ... 341,697 3 0