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ANNUAL EEPOETB OF DOMAIN BOABDS.

The Under-Secretary for Lands to the Eight Hon. the Minister op Lands. Sir, — Department of Lands, Wellington, 3rd September, 1909. 1 have the honour to transmit herewith a synopsis of the Annual Report of Domain Boards for the year ended 31st December, 1908. The reports show that steady progress is being made with the improvement of these important reserves, and that, generally speaking, they are being efficiently administered in the public interest. At the close of the year under review there were 457 domains in the Dominion, apart from recreation reserves which are not subject to Part II of " The Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1908." The following table shows at a glance the number in each Land District and the total area : —

* Includes 33,000 acres set aside as a domain under section 9 of "The Wanganui River Trust Act, 1891." A number of Domain Boards, especially those controlling small areas in localities remote from settlement, have considerable difficulty in obtaining funds with which to improve the lands under their control, while others with larger areas derive a revenue in grazing fees which meets all requirements. It is somewhat difficult to obtain information concerning a few of the domains, and, with regard to these, I have to report that the Boards intrusted with the administration of the following domains have not yet supplied reports for the past year : — Auckland Land District. Titirangi.—Section No. 1, Titirangi Parish. Area, 23 acres. (Board appointed 25th August, 1908.) Hawke's Bay Land District. Kumeroa. —Section No. 1, Block V, Town of Kumeroa. Area, 10 acres. Tabanaki Land District. Rahotu. —Sections Nos. 45 and 105, Block I, Opunake Survey District. Area, 48 acres 2 roods 11 perches. Waitara. —Block No. 115, Town of Waitara. Area, 15 acres. Warea. —Section No. 71, Block VIII, Cape Survey District. Area, 26 acres. Wellington Land District. Parkville. —Sections Nos. 182, 183, and 185, Suburbs of Parkville. Area, 36 acres 1 rood. Utiku. —Sections Nos. 4 and 5, Block I, Potaka Township. Area, 5 acres and 11 perches. Westland Land District. Nelson Creek. —Section No. 25, Block VIII, Mawheranui Survey District. Area, 49 acres 3 roods 18 perches.

Land District. Number of Domains. Area. Auckland lawke's Bay Paranaki Wellington kelson .. larlborough Vestland Canterbury )tago louthland 122 31 34 61 15 10 9 96 54 25 A. E. p. 18,683 0 6-8 939 0 24 1,393 0 23-6 *37,832 0 27-6 697 0 6-8 753 0 i 329 3 36 6,697 2 39 6,788 1 27-1 1,149 0 27 Grand totals 457 75,262 3 18-9