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1929. NEW ZEALAND.

TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 21st June, 1929. I have the honour to submit to you the report of the Tongariro National Park Board, covering its operations during the year ended 31st March, 1929. I have, &c., J. B. Thompson, Chairman, Tongariro National Park Board. The Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands.

REPORT. The number of visitors to Whakapapa and the outlying huts during the past year has again demonstrated the growing popularity of the park. Situated in a central position in the North Island and within a few miles from the Main Trunk Railway, it may truly be said that this health-giving and interesting locality is destined to become one of the most popular resorts for the people of New Zealand and visitors from overseas. As an indication that New Zealand's efforts to permanently dedicate and preserve national reserves of this nature is appreciated in Great Britain, it is pleasing to quote the following extract from a speech delivered at the St. David's Day Banquet at Cardiff on the Ist March, 1927, by the Right Hon. Stanley Baldwin : " You have a beautiful country in Wales. Don't let strangers spoil it for you, and don't spoil it yourselves. Educate public opinion ; educate your local authorities ; and bear in mind the example of New Zealand, a new country with a small population, which is already scheduling a magnificent region in the North Island and reserving it for all time as a national park. That is a wise economy of nature." It is fitting at this point to refer to the gift by the late Te Heuheu Tukino (Horonuku) of 6,500 acres of land embracing the principal peaks and forming the nucleus of the present park area of 150,000 acres. The gratitude of the people of New Zealand is due to this great chief for his generosity and earnest desire to see these beautiful mountains reserved for all time as a national park. Accommodation fob Visitors. As indicated in last year's report, the Board in formulating a building programme for Whakapapa was still hopeful that it would be successful in securing an applicant for the franchise offered for public application in 1926. In this connection it is satisfactory to be able to report that a New Zealand company was formed under the name of " The Tongariro Park Tourist Company, Limited," and the Board, with the approval of the Government, granted a lease to the company under the powers conferred by section 18 of the Tongariro National Park Act, 1922.

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