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C.—6

Future Operations. A good deal of progress was made during the period under review, but much more remains to be done both in reserving Crown-owned areas and in acquiring private lands. The Department has in hand a fairly heavy programme of work so far as Crown areas are concerned. For instance, large areas in South Westland south of the Cook River have been marked for reservation. Many of these areas are on the route of the Main South Road, which will traverse scenes of remarkable natural beauty comprising outstanding examples of lake, river, bush, and alpine scenery. In other districts, too, many reservations are under contemplation, but the position with respect to privately owned lands is still far from satisfactory. For many years the Department has struggled with the most inadequate financial resources to acquire private areas that should be owned by the State. Some good work has been accomplished against heavy odds, but it has proved impossible to undertake any extensive plans of land acquisition. If only 1 per cent, of the money expended on main roads could be allocated for the purchase of bush areas along those roads the position would be very different. The Department hopes that its repeated representations on this subject will in time bear fruit, and that the time will shortly arrive when it will be recognized that a reasonable expenditure of public funds in the acquisition of bush areas is not only a good investment, but also an absolute necessity if the Dominion is to maintain its reputation as a country possessing natural features of outstanding charm and interest. Appendices. The appendices to this report are listed hereunder : — A. Schedule of reserves made and reservations revoked during the year, accompanied by statement of expenditure. B. A short descriptive account of the Lewis Pass Road. C. An account of the work carried out on Kapiti Island.

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