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1929. 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, 31st July, 1929, I have tlie honour to report on the public domains of the Dominion for the yeay pnded 31st March, 1929. Eleven new domains, totalling 1,840 acres, were brought under the provisions of Part II of the Public Reserves and Domains Act, 1908, during the year. Boards have been appointed to control eight of the new areas, and appointments will be made in due course for tlie other three. Additions totalling some 80 acres were also made to eighteen existing domains. The total number of domains administered under Part II of the Act is now 702, comprising a total area of approximately 71,000 acres. The various Commissioners of Crown Lands administer forty-eight of these domains,. 251 are controlled by local authorities acting as Domain Boards, while the remainder are under the care of local Boards appointed from time to time. As usual, several matters affecting public domains and requiring special legislation dealt with in the Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act. Portion of the Hamilton Domain containing an area of 18-36 perches was exchanged for an area of 18-37 perches of municipal endowment. The exchange was carried out between the Crown and the Hamilton Borough Council for the purpose of obtaining a suitable site for a transformer-station in connection with a hydro-electric scheme. The Governor-General was empowered to lease portions of the Waitohi Domain, which is under the control of the Picton Borough Council acting as a Domain Board, for industrial and other purposes. The Domain contains an area of 15 acres 1 rood 15 perches, the bulk of which is a mud-flat subject to tidal influence, and must be reclaimed before it can be used. A small portion containing about 3 acres has already been reclaimed, but the Borough Council is desirous of raising funds by way of loan to carry out further reclamation works on progressive lines. A portion of the land to be dealt with is to be made available for industrial sites, and the balance of 5 acres 2 roods 15 perches is to be permanently held for recreation requirements. The revenues received from the leasing of industrial sites are to be used for the repayment of interest and sinking fund charges ,on any loan raised for reclamation works, &c., and generally in rendering the area to be retained for recreation suitable for that purpose. Authority was granted the Governor-General to lease portion of the Wahi-Takaro Domain for building purposes. The Domain contains an area of 57 acres 3 roods 15 perches, and is sitjiated on the sea-coast near Amberley. In a recent report from the Domain Board it was disclosed , that sixteen sections of about | acre each had been leased, and that six cottages had been erected. As there is no power for Domain Boards to lease lands, in order to put matters on a proper legal footing the Governor-General was authorized to grant leases for building purposes over portions of the domain not exceeding 5 acres in the aggregate. A similar case dealt with was that of the Leithfield Domain, which contains an area of 54 acres, and is also situated on the sea-coast near Amberley. Leases of small lots have been granted by the Domain Board without authority, and about sixteen cottages have been erected. In order to put matters on a proper legal footing the Governor-General was authorized to grant building leases on suitable conditions over portions of the domain not exceeding 15 acres in the aggregate.