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Details of Item 5. — Compensation for Native Land, &c. £ s. d. Part Taumatatotara No. Ia 2 (Mangapohue Natural Bridge) and Kinohaku West L No. 2b. . 61 5 3 Mangoira 1 and 2, Blocks VIII and X, Awakino North (Mangoira Reserve)- .. .. 217 19 6 £279 4 9 Details of Item 15. — Surveys, Valuations, &c, of Scenic Reserves. £ s. d. Survey of Sugar Loaf Scenic Reserve, Christchurch .. .. .. .. 46 9 0 Survey of Lake Rotoma Reserve .. .. . . . . .. .. 35 4 8 Travelling-expenses . . .. .. . . . . .. .. ■ .. 27 1 9 Valuations, legal expenses, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 550 £114 0 5

APPENDIX B. Report of Inspector of Scenic Reserves (Mr. E. Phillips Turner, F.R.G-.5.). Owing to the circumstances created by the war I was during the year engaged mainly on duties unconnected with scenery-preservation. During my annual leave, however, which was taken in January, I visited. Stewart Island, and as former scenery reports have contained no description of this place the following brief account may prove of interest: — Owing partly to its being situated at the extreme southern end of the Dominion, partly to the bad reputation borne by Foveaux Strait, and partly to the lack of advertisement, Stewart Island attracts few visitors outside of Otago and Southland ; nevertheless, after a sojourn there of some three weeks, I have no hesitation in saying that the island is one of the most delightful places for a holiday I have ever visited. The chief settlement is at Oban, cosily situated at the head of Half-moon Bay, where comfortable accommodation is to be obtained. Though Oban is quite an old settlement, very little farming has been done in its vicinity, and the beautiful indigenous forest of the island in many places extends right up to the village boundaries. Nearly every house in the settlement has a lovely view down the bay and out over the straits, which are studded with numerous islands. From the village numerous narrow but well-formed roads radiate, so that each day in the week one is able to take a different walk ; and as the roads are coated with a granite gravel they never 'get muddy, so with a liglit mackintosh and an umbrella one can take walks without discomfort even on a wet day. The walk round the northern side of Half-moon Bay to Horseshoe Bay follows wooded cliffs the whole way, being sometimes nearly 200 ft. above a sea ranging in colour from a light green to ultramarine, and sometimes at high-tide level. 1 have seen many roads in different places, but of its kind I think this the most beautiful. Even from the inland walks, which are through forest of most interesting variety, one gets peeps over the numerous island-studded inlets with which the coast is indented. Numerous motor-launches and a motor-schooner are owned by the different residents of Oban, and delightful water trips can be made to the numerous arms of Paterson's Inlet, Port William, Port Adventure, Port Pegasus, and that gem of an island, Ulva. On these excursions it is usual for the nature-lovers to land and stroll through the forest, whilst those that prefer sport stay on the launch and indulge in the remarkably good sea-fishing that is to be had almost anywhere along the coast. A large proportion of the island is under dense forest, the dominant tree being rimu, which, however, does not generally grow so large as on the mainland. Along the coast the southern rata is abundant, and when in bloom at about Christmas its rich red flowers make a beautiful display. Along parts of the coast there is a dense growth of various tree-daisies, the sage-green foliage of which forms an interesting variation from the prevalent dark-green of the other coastal trees and shrubs. A plant of special interest to visitors to the island is the puhcretaiko, a daisy that reaches the size of a large shrub. It has very large, thick, leathery leaves, glossy on top and with a thick whitish down on the under-side, on which visitors frequently write a short message and then use the leaf as a post-card. The island is of very great interest from the botanical point of view, but as Dr. L. Cockayne, F.R.S., has already written so comprehensively on the botany of the island I will refer those interested to his admirable report. Bird-life is fortunately abundant on the island; and tuis, bell-birds, pigeons, kakas, wekas, fantails are very plentiful, and several other native birds are not rare. The small islands around Stewart Island are the nesting-places of thousands of mutton-birds, and the collection of the young birds for food is quite an important industry. Other sea-birds are very numerous, and noticeable among them is a large mollymawk which is so tame that it will swim around a boat and sometimes snap off the fish that the fisherman is hauling into his boat.