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1925. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. PUBLIC DOMAINS OF NEW ZEALAND (ANNUAL REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 4th June, 1925. I have the honour to report on the piiblic domains of the Dominion for the year ended 31st March, 1925. Eight new domains, totalling 85 acres, were brought under the provisions of Part IT of the Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1908, during the year. Boards have been appointed to control five of these new areas, and arrangements are well in hand for similar appointments in the other three cases. Additions totalling 156 acres were also made to eight existing domains. Domains to the number of 653, comprising a total area of approximately 72,600 acres, are now administered under Part II of the Act. This includes, however, the Wanganui River Trust Domain of over 23,000 acres. The various Commissioners of Crown Lands control forty-nine of these domains, 227 are administered by local authorities acting as Domain Boards, while the remainder are under the control of local Boards appointed from time to time. Various domain matters requiring special legislation were dealt with in the Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act, 1924. By section 3 of the corresponding Act of 1907 an area of 19 acres 3 roods 35-8 perches at Port Albert was vested in the Albertland South Road Board for the purposes of a public recreation-ground. The Rodney County Council (successors to the Road Board) applied to have control of the reserve taken over by a Board of local residents, and to enable this to be done it was necessary to declare the area a public domain subject to the provisions of the Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1908. This action has been followed by the . appointment of a local Domain Board. Authority was granted for the expenditure on other reserves in the borougk of the surplus of certain funds raised by public subscription for the purpose of providing playing equipment for children on the Onehunga Domain. The reservation over an area of 3 acres and 7 perches of the Kawakawa Domain not required for recreation was cancelled with a view to its being added to an adjoining farm held by a discharged soldier. The Manukau County 'Council was empowered to sell and transfer to the Crown the East Tamaki Recreation Reserve. Provision was made for cancelling the reservation over that portion of the Pahurehure Domain known as the Old Market Square, and for the proceeds from the sale thereof to be applied towards the purchase of a recreation-ground fronting Young's Beach, Manukau Harbour. An area of 1 acre 1 rood 39-5 perches of closed road adjoining the Whatawhata Domain was declared subject to Part II of the Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1908, and added to the domain. Provision was made for the sale, if necessary, of any of the building lots within the Hamilton Domain not suitable for parks or playing-fields, to provide funds for meeting claims and costs in connection with the taking of an area at Hamilton Lake for recreation purposes. The Taupiri and Taupiri Mountain Domains were amalgamated for convenience of administration and placed under the control of the Taupiri Domain Board. Authority was granted for the exchange of portion of the Whakatane Domain for certain private land. In 1910 that portion of the Ormond Domain known as the Kohi Bush was removed from the control of the Domain Board and placed under the Commissioner of Crown Lands. It has been leased since that date, a very considerable sum having accumulated to the credit of the reserve, and power has now been provided to expend the credit balance in the acquisition of other lands for recreation purposes. Suitable arrangements in this matter are now being made by the Department. The Kaitieke Domain was found to be unsuitable for recreation on account of its being intersected by two creeks, and the reservation over the area was accordingly cancelled. A more suitable ground has been reserved in its place. Provision was made for the revocation of the reservation over an area of 4 acres 2 roods 14-7 perches of the Ohakune Lakes Domain. This particular area is required as an extension of the adjoining cemetery, and has been vested in the local authority for that purpose. An area of 635 acres 3 roods 34 perches of the Wanganui River Trust Domain was declared subject to the provisions of the Land Act. This area