H.—2.

As an additional attraction to Botorua district, I recommend that a model Maori pa or kainga should be established in the Whakarewarewa Beserve, between the water-supply settling-basins and the Native school. There is ample land of a substantial nature available there; also some very interesting thermal action and fresh-water lagoons. My proposals provide for the erection of a runanga (meeting-house), pataka (food-storehouse) —these to be carved in the old Maori style— and several comfortable whares ; a shed to be built near the schoolhouse, in which the young Native boys should be taught carving and the girls mat-making; the whole to be fenced in Maori manner. Later on a model fighting-pa could be added. Selected Native families to be given residence at this pa, and sanitation to be a salient feature of it. The villagers could make carvings and mats for sale, thereby earning sustenance. Thus two important object-lessons would be provided for the Maoris generally, and visitors would have an opportunity of seeing a replica of the old Maori life. The total cost need not exceed £500. Whakarewakbwa. This resort maintains its great popularity. The thermal action in its various forms continues in all its former vitality. The Department has formed new paths, a large number of trees and shrubs have been planted, and a shelter-pavilion is being erected. The douche-baths have been brought under control, and are now regularly cleansed. The question of erecting more pretentious baths at Whakarewarewa will be considered after analyses of its waters have been made by Dr. Wohlmann. A new tour is being arranged, and will be in operation by next season under control of that popular and interesting guide, Alf. Warbrick. Passengers leaving Botorua by coach will pass Lakes Tikitapu and Eotokakahi, and arrive at the site of the buried Village of Wairoa, where the remains of houses wrecked by the thermal outburst of Mount Tarawera on the night of the 10th June, 1886, are still to be seen. Bowing-boat will then be. taken across Lake Tarawera for eight miles, passing Moura, where Tarawera in its eruption exacted a toll of thirty-nine lives, and landing at Te Ariki, where the remains of fifty-one Maoris and Pakeha Brown still lie buried. A short walk will take the visitor to Lake Eotomahana, where, from a point near the former site of the White Terraces, a boat will convey him across Lake Eotomahana, when he will be afforded the unique experience of rowing across boiling water. Passing near the site of the Pink Terraces, he will be landed at the south end of Eotomahana. Half an hour's walk will take him to the southern craters, whence a most interesting view is obtainable, with Lake Eotomahana in the foreground, and Mount Tarawera in the distance. Several large craters are here, and just below are to be seen Echo Crater, with its pretty blue lake of boiling water, and the great geyser Waimangu. Waimangu Geyseb. This geyser came under general observation in April, 1900, and it has played in a more or less irregular manner ever since. It is, without doubt, the greatest geyser known. Its enormous ejections of muddy water, sand, stones, &c, sometimes rising to a height of 1,030 ft., are a source of attraction and interest to tourists. It is distant from Botorua seventeen miles, and a good coach-road has been made from the Waiotapu Eoad, near the Parehura deviation, to within a short distance of the geyser. A guide is located-near Waimangu, and tents have been put up by Messrs. Danks and Shepherd for the accommodation of visitors, but they are quite inadequate for requirements. There is urgent need for an accommodation-house near the site of this geyser, so that visitors may remain in the vicinity long enough to see Waimangu play. I recommend that such a building should be provided ; also that a small shelter-pavilion should be erected on the hill to the westward of Waimangu crater, so that a near view of the geyser may be obtained from a safe vantage-point. Danger-boards warning visitors against going too close to this geyser have been erected at various points around its crater. Two somewhat serious accidents occurred in the vicinity of Waimangu Geyser owing to men approaching too closely to its crater and eruptions occurring without any warning and before they could reach the zone of safety. An ambulance stretcher has been placed in its neighbourhood under charge of guide Shepherd. Should the tour via Lakes Tarawera and Eotomahana previously mentioned develop into one of any magnitude, it would be advisable to construct a road between Waimangu Geyser and the shores of Lake Eotomahana. Waiotapu. Large quantities of trees, shrubs, and plants have been obtained from the Government nursery at Whakarewarewa and planted at this place. Prison labour has converted a wilderness of scrub into a very interesting and park-like resort. The prison huts are models of cleanliness and order. In my opinion, an extension of the principle of employing prison labour to improve some of the larger tourist and health resorts of the colony is well worthy of the consideration of the Government. Taupo. Leading lights for the steamer's service have been provided at Taupo. Messrs. Marshall and Eyan ran their steamer " Tongariro " between Taupo and Tokaanu daily during last season so as to permit passengers breaking their journey at Tokaanu, instead of making the whole trip between Taupo and Waiouru in one day, as required by the altered time-table referred to elsewhere. In former seasons this steamer was run only bi-weekly. Tokaanu. To enable the steamer to go alongside the jetty at all times it has been considerably extended. Plans for baths have been prepared and await consideration by Dr. Wohlmann before the work is proceeded with.

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