c.—io.

Interspersed with the ski-ing, tramps were arranged to the various scenic viewpoints, of which there are many in the park. Motor-trips enabled members to visit other well-worth-while places, such as the Ketetahi Hot Springs, Tokaanu, and Wairakei. One party travelled to Mangatepopo and climbed Ngauruhoe. The climb commenced at 8.30 a.m. and the crater was reached at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, six hours and a half climbing-time being required. The weather conditions were excellent, but steps had to be cut all the way, the ice proving so difficult to cut that one of the ice-axes was broken. Great activity was observed in the crater, from which smoke was issuing instead of the usual sulphur stream. Fresh banks of sulphur mud were being ejected and were forming a new crater wall inside the main crater. From the summit, White Island in the Bay of Plenty could "be seen, while the party could also distinguish clearly Lake Taupo, Wairakei, and Egmont. Christmas, 1932 : A large party camped for ten days at the Piripiri Junction on the Waipakihi River (lower down known as the Tongariro and after leaving Taupo as the Waikato). The river camp was situated at one of nature's beauty-spots. The river flows through a deep gorge valley with heavily forested banks, and is especially beautiful when seen so close to the barren tussock country. The camp was at the foot of the Kaimanawa Ranges to the east of the Waiouru-Tokaanu Desert Road and the National Park, and was within three hours of Waihohonu. Some of the party stayed at the Waihohonu Hut for a short time and climbed Ngauruhoe and Tongariro on the first day. Ngauruhoe was climbed by the direct route from Waihohonu and the return made by the Tongariro Saddle, the weird and beautiful Red Crater, the Green Lake, and the Oturere Crater Track. On the following day an assault was made on Ruapehu. The mountain was clear above the 7,000 ft. mark, and aftei climbing Te Heu Heu a visit was paid to the Crater Lake. Crossing the crater, the party then climbed the main Tahurangi Peak of Ruapehu. The return journey was made by the Te Heu Heu ridge of ascent. Patutu (5,625 ft.) and Waipakihi Trig., in the Kaimanawa Range, were also climbed. On the grassy slopes below Patutu traces were seen where kiwis had been feeding. At no very distant date no trip to the National Park will be complete without a visit to the Waipakihi River scenic wonderland. Other Visits : During the year other members visited the Ohakune, Waihohonu, and Whakapapa sides of the National Park and also stayed on the Ketetahi face of Tongariro, from which point ascents were made of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro, as well as a tramp to Tokaanu by way of Roto Aira and the Pononga Saddle of Pihanga. The Alipne Sports Club, Inc. —Organized extended tours to the Tongariro National Park have included a winter sports trip to the Chateau and a Christmas - New Year camp at Whakapapa. Both trips were highly successful, and much Credit is due to the leaders for thorough organization and competent leadership of the parties. Honobaey Rangebs. In addition to Mr. R. Cobbe, Manager at the Chateau, Mr. T. A. Blyth, of Ohakune, and Mr. L. Young, of the Chateau staff, have been appointed honorary rangers of the park. The services of these gentlemen in the capacity mentioned is much appreciated. Warden's Repoet. Mr. John Cullen, 1.5.0., Warden of the Park, in his annual report remarks as follows :— " During the year a tussock fire which started in the Military Reserve north of Waimarino Township spread to the National Park area and destroyed about half a mile of the outside of the Moturoa bush on its northern face. This bush has fared badly from tussock fires, as the southern side was badly damaged by fire over three years ago a»d a few years previously another fire destroyed a part of it. Native-bird life is still on the decrease within the park area. Stoats, weasels, sparrow-hawks, and cats in the wild are mostly responsible for this decrease." Wild Life. * In view of the increased interest taken by students, by the public, and by visitors from other lands in the primitive wild life of New Zealand, it is of the utmost importance that where areas can be preserved in order to show typical portions of New Zealand in its pristine condition, this should be clone. The natural method of effecting this, which at once suggests itself, is that the areas within the boundaries of the various national parks, sanctuaries, and reserves at present existing in New Zealand should be devoted to this work of preserving portions of typical New Zealand for all time. In giving effect to the provisions of the Tongariro National Park Act, 1922, and its it is the policy of the Board to preserve the flora and fauna of the park in its natural state and it is pleasing to record that this policy is strongly endorsed by the New Zealand Institute as will be seen by reference to the Transactions of the Institute, Vol. 58, at page 5. The following notes have been compiled by Mr. G. V. Hudson, F.E.S., F.N.Z.lnst., Mr. W. R. B. Oliver, F.L.S., F.Z.S., and Mr. W. H. Phillipps, F.L.S., and the thanks of the Board to these gentlemen for their interest in the matter is recorded. The botany of the park has been fully dealt with in the following publications, viz. : Report by Dr. L. Cockayne on a Botanical Survey of the Park (Parliamentary Paper C.-11, 1908) ; Report by Mr. E. Phillips Turner on a Botanical Examination of the Higher Waimarino District (Parliamentary Paper C.-11, 1909) ; Handbook on the Tongariro National Park (James Cowan, F.R.G.S.), Chapter VII, on the Plants of the Park, being contributed by Mr. B. C. Aston, F.1.C., F.N.Z.lnst. The Maori history of the park is also fully dealt with in Mr. Cowan's book.

4