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staff. During the year 196 cans of No. 15 spring water have been sent to Rotorua : this is twentyfive more than last year. Gardens and Playing-areas.—These have been kept in good order and up to their usual standard. The track to the top of Mount Te Aroha was put in good condition early in the year, and many people have made the climb to the summit. The grounds staff have had a very strenuous year. Library and Reading-room. —This institution has been well patronized, and 212 new books were added to the library during the year. There are now 462 books in the library. The reading-room has been well supplied with papers. Night Bowling. —The return from this source shows a decrease of £19 16s. as compared with last year. The lighting gave no trouble during the year, the alteration made by the bowling club being so far satisfactory. Games. —This shows a decrease of £12 12s. as compared with the corresponding period of last year. The charge for bowls season tickets was reduced to £2 25., and twenty-nine were sold. The new bowling-pavilion was opened early in November, and has been much appreciated by all the players. This building is used by the tennis and croquet players as well as by the bowlers. Nelson and Westland. There has been very heavy passenger-booking through the district throughout the season, and the recently opened office at Greymouth shows an increased booking business of over 100 per cent. It has improved from £1,548 to £3,228, and has evidently had good support from the local people. These figures, of course, have no relation to the great number of travellers who have booked from other centres to Westland. The completion of the Waiho Bridge, opening up the great tourist district south of the Franz Josef Glacier, will result in a greatly increased traffic to that part of New Zealand, and will prove a great step towards the round trip over the Haast Pass to Wanaka, linking up the Otago and Southland districts. The Hermitage. Inspection and reports show that this popular resort has been capably and well conducted by the lessees, and it is understood that a very heavy season has been experienced there. It is the intention of the company to make a feature this winter of the attraction of seasonable sports. During the past winter the Ball Hut, on the Tasman Glacier, was damaged by a fall of earth, and has been re-erected at a spot nearer the glacier. During the season a number of high climbs were done, and the following list is published for the purposes of record : —

Waikaremoana ; Morere ; etc. The season at Waikaremoana was a very busy one, especially at Christmas and from then onwards. Up to that time the road from Onepoto to the house, having been badly damaged by the heavy cartage of building-material, was a drawback. The alterations and additions to the hostel have been carried out in a most creditable manner, and the house is now up-to-date within and without. The resort has been very well run by the manageress and staff. The launches and boats were maintained in good order. An additional launch was purchased from the Public Works Department at Wairoa, and a proper skidway for hauling the boats out of the water at the end of the season was erected by Mr. A. Warbrick, of Rotorua. The reserve at Morere was well patronized throughout the year, and the buildings and paths maintained in good order. Arrangements have been made for further fencing and hedge-planting to protect the bush from destruction by cattle and other dangers. In view of the difficulty experienced in properly ranging the whole acclimatization district, it was decided to appoint a separate ranger for the Wairoa district, and Mr. A. Kean, a very experienced and qualified officer, was appointed, with satisfactory results.

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Date. Party and Guide. Olimb and Height. | Route. 1925. Apr. 24 Mr. Jack Ross ; Guides F. Milne Mount Cook ; 12,349 ft. .. From Haast Hut by Linda Glacier route ; and V. Williams descent by same route. Dec. 3 Mr. Prophit; Guide V. Williams Mount Kinsey ; 6,750 ft. .. From Hooker Hut ; descent by Kinsey 1926. Track. Jan. 7 Mr. Walton and Dr. Bradshaw ; Mount Sealey ; 8,651 ft. .. From Mueller Hut through Sladden Saddle Guide V. Williams to snow face ; descent by same route. Jan. 10 Mr.R.TwynehamandMissEdgar Mount Johnston; 8,858 ft. From Tasman Glacier by snow couloir and Jones ; Guide C. Williams rock arite ; descent by same route. Jan. 10 Dr. Bradshaw and Mr. C. Barker; Footstool; 9,073 ft. .. From Sefton Bivouac to main divide, thence Guides V. Williams and A. rock face to summit; descent by same Brustad route. Jan. 19 Miss D. Barker, Mr. C. Barker, Mount Elie de Beaumont; From south-east face by Lendenfelt Saddle and Miss Edgar Jones ; Guide 10,200 ft. descent by same route. V. Williams Jan. 28 Mr. C. Bishop and Mr. L. Brock Hochstetter Dome; 9,258 ft. From Tasman Saddle up east arete; descen by same route. Jan. 28 Miss D. Barker ; Guide V. Wil- Mount Hamilton ; 9,915 ft. From Malte Brun Hut to Darwin Glacier to liams head of Bonny Glacier, thence by main arHe to summit; descent by snow couloir, thence same route. Feb. 26 Miss L. Roberts ; Guide C. Wil- Mount Turnbull; 7,400 ft. Traversing up Darwin Glacier to Bonny liams Glacier by snow and rock ridge to summit; descent by same route. Feb. 28 Miss D. Barker ; Guides V. Wil- The Twins ; 8,030 ft. .. From Ball Hut to main ridge to summit; liams and F. Alack descent by single scree to Tasman Glacier, thence to Malte Brun.