C—6.

1914. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY: SCENERY-PRESERVATION. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1914: TOGETHER WITH STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS AND SCHEDULE OF LANDS ACQUIRED AND RESERVED DURING THE YEAR UNDER THE SCENERY PRESERVATION ACTS.

Presetted to both Houses 0/ the General Assembly pursuant to Section 17 of the Scenery Preservation Act, 1908. Sib,— . Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist June, 1914. I have the honour to submit herewith report on scenery-preservation for the twelve months ended the 31st March, 1914. I have, &c, Jas. Mackenzie, The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Under-Secretary for Lands. Minister in Charge of Scenery-preservation.

EEPOBT. The twelve months ended on the 31st March last proved quiet from a scenery-preservation point of view, only 3,000 acres having been reserved during that period. The areas acquired included some in the Waimarino District, where a few sections in blocks of Crown land subdivided for settlement were reserved for scenic purposes. A small area fronting the Kawhia Harbour was set apart, also a charming piece of forest land adjacent to the Wharerata Post-office, in the Nuhaka District, near Wairoa ; whilst 84 acres of bush land close to the Gisborne-Otoko Railway were also permanently reserved. In the Taranaki District 320 acres of the Koiro Block, on the Wanganui River, were permanently reserved, and in the Marlborough District eleven small areas of beautiful bush in the Maungamaunu Native Reserve were acquired from the Natives and gazetted. These areas are situated on the main Blenheim-Kaikoura Road, and as the scenery in this locality is of a very picturesque description it is very satisfactory that portions of the best of it have at last been secured. In the Ofcago District some small areas on the McLennan River were acquired from leaseholders and set apart, and some 250 acres of beautiful bush land at the headwaters of the Pourapourakino River, near Riverton (Southland), were reserved, completing the scenic reservation on the banks of this river. This brings the total area of scenic reserves in the Dominion to a little over 214,000 acres, comprised in 363 different reserves. It may be well to repeat what has been stated in previous reports that the great bulk of this land is very hilly and unsuitable for settlement purposes, except in very large areas at low rentals ; whilst the retention of land in a state of nature greatly benefits settlement, by assisting to conserve water, protect soil, and prevent denudation ; and from a national point of view it is advantageous to have areas such as are included in these reservations under forest,

I—C. o.