C.—l

LAND RESERVED FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES. Under the provisions of section 360 of the Land Act, 1924, and section 71 of the Land for Settlements Act, 1925, various areas of Crown and settlement land were permanently reserved during the year. The reservations made totalled fifty-eight, covering an area of approximately 2,031 acres. A summary of work carried out under the heading is given below :— ~ , Number of Area. Purpose of Reserve. Reservations. A. R. P. Buildings of the General Government .. .. 1 22 29 Camping .. .. .. .. . . 1 3 2 15-6 For the use of the aboriginal Natives of New Zealand 1 5 3 38 Gravel .. .. .. .. .. 3 7 1 23 Hall-site .. .. .. .. .. 3 2 11 Plantation .. . . .. .. . . 2 108 3 3 Public buildings of the General Government .. 6 13 0 9-9 Public-school site .. .. .. .. 8 25 021-3 Quarry .. .. .. .. .. 3 81 1 36 • 5 Recreation .. .. .. .. .. 18 572 0 2-59 River-protection .. . . .. .. 1 43 0 0 Roadman's cottage-site .. .. .. 2 5 3 3 School-site, addition to a .. .. .. 5 3 3 34-8 Site for county buildings .. .. .. 1 0 0 27 ■ 2 Water-conservation .. .. .. .. 2 656 0 9 Water-supply .. .. .. .. .. 1 500 0 0 Total .. .. 58 2,031 1 13-89 The above does not include areas that have been vested in the Crown as public reserves in town subdivisions pursuant to the provisions of section 16 of the Land Act, 1924. RETIREMENT OF UNDER-SECRETARY. Mr. W. Robertson, 1.5.0., relinquished his active official duties on 31st March, 1939, from which date he commenced three months' leave prior to retiring from the position of Under-Secretary for Lands after forty-seven years' service. Mr. Robertson joined the Dunedin office in 1892, and was subsequently attached to the Napier, Hokitika, and Invercargill offices. In 1913 he was promoted to Head Office, being transferred to Auckland in 1917. Upon the constitution of the North Auckland Land District in 1919 Mr. Robertson was selected to organize the new office for that district. In the same year he was appointed departmental Inspector, and in the years following was closely associated with the Dominion Revaluation Board in connection with the revaluation of soldier farms. He was appointed Assistant Under-Secretary in 1925, and in 1931 succeeded Mr. J. B. Thompson, C.8.E., as Under-Secretary for Lands. In addition to the office of Under-Secretary, he was also Land Purchase Controller and Chairman of the Dominion Land Purchase Board, Small Farms Board, Central Revaluation Board, Dominion Revaluation Board, and Tongariro National Park Board, as well as a member of various other Government Boards. In 1937 he received the decoration of a Companion of the Imperial Service Order.

EXPENDITURE. Summary of Expenditure approved during the Year ended 31st March, 1939.

34

Name of Vote or Account. j Ne *^ unt Expenditure. | Recoveries. Expe^ ture Voted Expenditure. Vote, Lands and Survey— £ £ £ £ Subdivision I .". .. .. .. .. 241,272 316,081 78,439 237,646 Subdivision II .. .. .. .. .. 59,623 51,184 .. 51,184 Subdivision III .. .. .. .. .. 13,140 11,366 .. 11,366 Total, Vote, Lands and Survey .. .. 314,035 378,631 78,435 300,196 Vote, Land for Settlements .. .. .. .. 345,000 193,284 66 193,218 Vote, Swamp Land Drainage— Hauraki Plains District .. .. .. .. 18,100 24,457 18,295 6,162 Swamp Land Drainage Districts .. .. .. 900 474 1,312 Or. 838 Vote, Settlement of Unemployed Workers .. .. 340,000 526,397 181.713 344,684 Total voted expenditure .. .. .. 1,018,035 1,123,243 279,821 843,422 Other Expenditure. Land for Settlements Account — Expenditure from capital proceeds of sales of Crown and national-endow- 13,038 .. 13,038 ment lands Interest and other charges .. .. .. .. .. 31,465 .. 31,465 Expenditure under special Acts of the Legislature—Section 295 (2), Land 6,048 . . 6,048 Act, 1924 : Administration expenses of national-endowment lands Expenditure approved by the Hon. Minister of Finance against Unauthorized 127 97 30 Expenditure Account Refunds of revenue: Deposits Account expenditure and miscellaneous 7,505 .. 7,505 expenditure Total departmental expenditure .. .. .. .. 1,181,426 279,918 901,508