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C—6.

APPENDIX C. Report of the Scenery Preservation Board. During the twelve month ended on the 31st March, 1912, the Board was kept fully employed inquiring into and reporting upon numerous suggestions that areas of land should be acquired and reserved for thermal, scenic, and historic purposes. The very greatest care has been exercised that no recommendation has been submitted to the Government for consideration until the Board is fully aware of the suitability of the land for reservation under the Scenery Preservation Act. To this end, detailed reports have always been obtained from the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district in which the land to be reported upon is situated, and in many cases the report of the Inspector of Scenic Reserves has been procured in addition, whilst the personal acquaintance of members of the Board with much of the land under consideration has materially assisted it in coming to a decision upon the matter. The members of the Board comprised the Surveyor-General (Mr. John Strauchon) as statutory Chairman, the General Manager of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr. F. S. Pope), the Under-Secretary of the Native Department (Mr. T. W. Fisher), and the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the land district in which the particular area of land reported upon is situated. During the year meetings were held as under: At Wellington, on the sth April, 1911, to deal with Auckland lands ; at Wellington, on the 2nd May, 1911, to deal with Otago lands ; at Wellington, on the 30th June, 1911, to deal with Auckland lands ; at Wellington, on the 30th June, 1911, to deal with Taranaki lands ; at Wellington, on the 18th July, 1911, to deal with Westland lands; at Wellington, on the 26th July, 1911, to deal with Hawke's Bay lands ; at Wellington, on the 31st July, 1911, to deal with Southland lands ; at Wellington, on the 2nd August, 1911, to deal with Canterbury lands ; at Wellington, on the 2nd August, 1911, to deal with Otago lands; at Wellington, on the 4th August, 1911, to deal with Taranaki lands ; at Wellington, on the 4th August, 1911, to deal with Auckland lands ; at Wellington, on the 9th August, 1911, to deal with Otago lands ; at Wellington, on the 14th August, 1911, to deal with Otago lands ; at Wellington, on the 29th August, 1911, to deal with Wellington lands ; at Dunedin, on the 12th September, 1911, to deal with Southland lands ; at Wellington, on the 9th October, 1911, to deal with Otago lands ; at Wellington, on the 16th October, 1911, to deal with Wellington lands ; at Wellington, on the 13th February, 1912, to deal with Auckland lands ; at Wellington, on the 15th February, 1912, to deal with Wellington lands; at Wellington, on the 21st March, 1912, to deal with Otago lands. The Board submitted 104 recommendations to His Excellency the Governor, a large number of which have already been given effect to, whilst the remainder are now under consideration. In all cases the Board has earnestly considered the needs of settlement, and has invariably refrained from recommending the acquisition of areas of land suited for agriculture, except in occasional small strips of land situated on river-banks, where the unique beauty of the scenery and the need for river-protec-tion more than warranted the recommendation. The greater part of the land recommended for scenic reservation is quite unfitted for close settlement, but its preservation in a state of nature will greatly tend to the check or prevention of floods in that locality, preserve the soil on the numerous high ranges, ridges, and deep gullies which form such a large part of the scenic reserves, and assist the development of the country in a much greater manner than is generally supposed. The Board will always endeavour to preserve a due balance between the urgent requirements of settlers and the best interests of the State, and, whilst carrying out its functions in assisting to preserve the wonderfully attractive scenery of this Dominion, will in the future, as in the past, take every factor into consideration before making its recommendations. On the 31st March, 1912, Mr. Strauchon relinquished the Chairmanship of the Boaid consequent on his promotion to the position of Under-Secretary of Lands, and I assumed charge on the Ist April, 1912. Jas. Mackenzie, Chairman, Scenery Preservation Board. Kennedy's Bush Scenic Board. During the year powers were again delegated to the Board for a period of three years from 2nd November, 1911, the former members of the Board being reappointed. It was found necessary to call only one meeting of the Board during the year, power having been left in the hands of the Chairman to transact any routine business, and to arrange re the harvesting of the cocksfoot. A contract for this harvesting was entered into with Mr. A. Small, of Governor's Bay, on halves; and though the season was wet a fair crop was reaped, the Board realizing a total of £24 clear. This amount, not having been received until the 9th May, does not appear in the statement of receipts and expenditure for the year, which ended on 31st March last. Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ended 31st March, 1912. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Grazing-fees .. .. .. 15 5 0 Labour, grass-seed .. .. .. 410 5 Sale of grass-seed .. .. .. 210 6 Material .. .. .. 114 0 Advertisement .. .. .. ..134 Rabbiting .. .. .. 4 19 1 Debt of previous year paid .. .. 418 1 Total ...... 17 15 6 £17 411 Expenditure .. .. 17 411 - To credit .. .. .. £0 10 7