5

a—6

Loan Account as at 31st March, 1921. £ s. d. By Debentures issued— £ s. d. £ s. d To Loan authority: Section 12, Scenery 1905-1919 .. 89,000 0 0 I 'reservation Act, 1908 .. .. 100,000 0 0 1919-1920 .. 5,000 0 0 ■ 94,000 0 0 Balance of authority as at 31st March, 1921 .. .. .. .. 0,000 0 0 £100,000 0 0 £100,000~0~0 J. H. O'DONNELL, 14th June, 1921. Chief Accountant, Lands and Survey Department.

APPENDIX B. Report of the Scenery Preservation Board. During the year the following meetings were held in the office of the Surveyor-General: On the 26th May and 16th July, 1920, dealing with matters in North Auckland Land District; on the 7th July, 1920, Auckland Land District; on the 27th May, 1920, Taranaki Land District; on the 9th September, 1920, Wellington Land District; on the 27th May, 1920, Westland Land District; and on the 29th June, 1920, Canterbury Land District. Eighteen recommendations were submitted by the Board to His Excellency the GovernorGeneral regarding the acquisition and reservation of lands for scenic purposes. Several of these recommendations have been carried out, and others are now under action. In other cases considered no recommendation was made. W. T. Nbill, Chairman. W. 11. Jourdain, Secretary.

Extracts prom Reports of Local Scenic Boards. Summit Bond Scenic Reserves Board (Christchurch). The general condition of the reserves is good. Several still require fencing, but as the • fencing-material is still high in price it has been determined not to proceed with any extensive operations. Authority has been given to fence in one small area near Sumner. Kennedy's Bush Scenic Reserve is in an excellent state of preservation, and there is abundant evidence that the bush is rapidly spreading. The same observations apply to Ahuriri Bush Scenic Reserve and Parkinson's Bush Scenic Reserve. Reserve 3064, the largest of the scenic reserves under the control of the Board, is in excellent condition generally, but some little damage has been done by fire spreading from neighbouring properties. This emphasizes the necessity of having a resident caretaker to protect the bush from damage by warning those who start fires. The scenic reserve on Mount Fitzgerald has received very slight damage from fire. The same remark applies to three scenic reserves on Mount Sinclair. On these reserves there is a very fine growth of alpine vegetation. The small reserve of 15 acres below Mount Fitzgerald should be fenced, and steps will be taken in the near future to have this done. The value of having resident caretakers was recently emphasized through the occurrence of fires on the edge of Kennedy's Bush and Ahuriri Bush Scenic Reserves. Through the energy of Mr. Buschel, caretaker of Kennedy's Bush, these fires were stopped before much damage was done. Tb«s Board has much pleasure in reporting that the options secured through the energy of Mr. Eil are likely to be taken up within the very near future. When the purchases are completed several valuable additions will be made to the Summit Road Scenic Reserves. One was referred to in the last report—viz., the one secured through the generous act of Mr. H. A. Knight. The other option is a very fine reserve, with many scenic beauties and considerable area of young bush, on what is known as Sugarloaf. This reserve is opposite to Coronation Hill Scenic Reserve, where the Board has a resident caretaker who has proved himself a very careful officer. The trapping of opossums has proved a source of increasing revenue every year. In the present year the income from this source was £114; in the previous year, £74 10s.; and these amounts have been applied in connection with the improvement of the different reserves. The Board has now resident caretakers on Coronation Hill, Kennedy's Bush, and Kaituna Scenic Reserves. Mr. H. G. Ell has been gazetted Inspector of all the Summit Road Scenic Reserves. The appointment is a fitting one, as it is entirely through his exertions and initiative that all these reserves have been secured to the public. •G. H. Bullard, Chairman. 2-C. 6.