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the conditions of lease must fence, maintain, and keep the same in good order and repair. Only a sketch survey has been made, however, and the Board unfortunately has no funds at present for the final survey. The year as a whole has been well ahead of its predecessors as regards visitors and the interest taken in Mount Egmont, although the season has been one of the shortest and wettest on record. Having so often pointed out the great necessity for a centrally-situated house or hotel where ordinary comforts could be obtained at moderate rates, together with a carriage-road thereto, I do not think I need refer to it on this occasion beyond saying that, considering its proximity to the great tourist highways of the colony by sea and land, there is no place of its interest and character in the colony that can be exploited with less inconvenience to the traveller and at less expense or loss of time than this beautiful and easily-climbed mountain ; and I trust, now that Mr. Donne, the head of the Tourist Department, has visited it (although under unfavourable conditions as regards weather), and has had pointed out to him what is to be seen there and in the other historic portions of Taranaki, where the ruins of the Native strongholds and ancient battle-fields only now remain as the silent evidence of the eventful struggle which took place between Briton and Maori for supremacy in this district, these matters will not be lost sight of. During the year the Roads Department have expended £79 19s. Id. on 1 mile 26 chains of bridle-road constructed, 2 miles 40 chains of bridle-track repaired, and 10 chains widened; and £47 on 4 miles of bridle-road repaired. On Dawson's Palls road there are 25 chains of dray-road in hand. Jambs Mackenzie, Chairman, Bgmont National Park Board. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,825 copies), £14 4s.

By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o3. Price 9d. (exclusive of plans, dc).