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picnic parties, barber's shop, photographic room, and cinema for 120 people. The large steam plant is placed here also, and a drying-room for general use. The front portion of the basement overlooking the plains to the north has been designed as a sun-porch and sports-pavilion. The ground floor contains the main reception-rooms, offices, and kitchen department. The offices contain four rooms, and these open on to the entrance vestibule, which will be handsomely finished with a mosaic floor. The special feature of this floor is the large lounge, over 80 ft. square, and being large enough to accommodate all guests and visitors both of the Chateau and lodges. The central portion of this lounge is occupied by a parquetry dancing-floor. The lounge, which is the special feature of the interior of the building, is happily placed to give, through its large plate windows, splendid views of mountains, bush, and plain. Special thought has been given so that the various views should not be masked by any other portion of the building. One bay of the lounge is arranged as a writing and bridge room. Bedroom floors : The first and second floors are identical in arrangement and design. The staircase from one floor to another has been made an architectural feature. These floors have each thirtytwo bedrooms and eighteen bathrooms. On the front and western side are the larger rooms with private baths. The eastern wing is arranged with a bath to two rooms, and the Ruapehu wing has several rooms to one bath. The bathrooms are well fitted and finished with either terrazzo or mosaic floors. Attic floor : A steep roof was designed for the building owing to snow conditions, and advantage was taken of the space to provide twenty-eight additional rooms. The rooms are lit by large dormers, which also give an architectural feature to the roof design. These rooms have three sets of lavatory accommodation. The views from these dormer windows are particularly fine. The photograph attached, prepared from a perspective drawing, gives an excellent idea as to what the building will be when completed. The foundation-stone was laid on Saturday, the 16th February, 1929, by the Hon. A. J. Stallwort.hy, Minister of Health, and the building should be completed and ready for the reception of visitors by September or October next. Bruce Road. The motor traffic on this road, consequent upon the transport of building-materials for the erection of the Chateau and the influx of visitors to Whakapapa, has been very heavy during the past year. The temporary bridge over the Whakapapanui has stood up to the heavy loads in an excellent manner, but it will be necessary for a new and permanent bridge to be constructed at an early date. This question is now engaging the attention of the Board. Mangatepopo Road. The question of providing road access to the Mangatepopo Huts is a subject which has engaged the attention of the Board during the year. The cheapest and most direct route to construct starts in at a point on the Waimarino-Tokaanu Road near Sir James Gunson's cottage and proceeds almost due east to the Huts. An alternative route has, however, been suggested running from the termination of the Bruce Road at Whakapapa and proceeding thence towards the Tama Lakes and thence northerly to the Huts. The last-mentioned route is now being surveyed, but, having regard to the class of country to be traversed, it would be much more expensive to contract a road along this line. The whole matter will be fully gone into when plans and construction estimates are finalized, in order that the most suitable route may be adopted having due regard to all the surrounding circumstances. Ohakune Hut and Ohakune Track. Mr. T. A. Blyth reports that 254 people visited the Hut during the year. The Crater Lake last summer was perceptibly warmer than for a few years past. A sum of £25 was spent in repairs to the track during the year, and the work of poling a track from Ohakune Hut to the Mangaturuturu Valley will be undertaken next summer. The Girdlestone Memorial Tablet is in excellent state of preservation. Mr. Blyth completed his hundredth trip to the summit of Ruapehu during Easter, a record of which he may justly be proud. Warden's Report. Mr. John Cullen, 1.5.0., Warden of the park, reports as follows :— " I beg to report that the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, gave me twenty-five thousand rainbow trout-fry as a free gift for liberation in streams in the park, and these I had liberated in the Mahuia, Whakapapaiti, Whakapapanui, and Taranaki Streams, free of any expense to 'the Board. The Internal Affairs D&partment, however, notified me that this is the last free supply of fry it will give for liberation in the park. Fishing was fairly good in the park streams last season, as several anglers made good bags, many of the fish landed weighing over 9 lb. I noticed during the summer months that the native birds, which usually are numerous in the Tawhai Bush, between the Mahuia and Whakapapanui Streams, have been comparatively few this last sfeason. The tui and bell-bird are usually plentiful, but were not so last summer. I did not see any pigeons, kakas, long tailed or shining cuckoos during the months of January and February."

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