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Two areas totalling 147 acres in the Taranaki Land District were set apart during the year. One of these areas was formerly part of the Kohua Farm Settlement. It consists of steep and rugged country in light bush, and its setting-apart under the Small Farms Act was revoked in order that it might be reserved under the Scenery Preservation Act. It adjoins an existing reserve of 149 acres on the Mokauiti Road near Aria. In the Wellington Land District an area of nearly 19 acres of swampy bush on the banks of the Wanganui River near Kakahi was made a permanent reserve. Reference was made in last year's report to the gift by Mr. W. A. Miller of a small piece of picturesque bush in the Eketahuna district. This area of 6 acres was proclaimed during the year. It lies between the Makakahi Stream and the Masterton-Eketahuna Main Highway, and will be known in future as the W. A. Miller Memorial Scenic Reserve. Reservations totalling 1,502 acres were made in the Marlborough Land District, particulars being as follows : (a) An area of 72f acres of hilly bush land in the Rai Valley surrendered by a Crown lessee out of his holding. (b) Two areas surrendered out of Crown leases in the vicinity of the famous Ship Cove Reserve. One area of 829 acres extends along the shore of Queen Charlotte Sound immediately to the north of Ship Cove, while the other of 601 acres consists of bush land on the ridge lying between the Cove and Gore Bay. In the Nelson Land District an area of 21 acres of bush land on the Warwick River near Warwick Junction was surrendered from a Crown lease and set apart under the Scenery Preservation Act. In the Catlins district of Otago a fine though small bush area of 5 acres was acquired by an exchange of land between the Crown and the freehold owner. In the Southland Land District an area of 144| acres in the Glenham Settlement, near Wyndham, was set aside as a permanent reserve. When the settlement was cut up for lease over forty years ago, this area was withheld from disposal as a bush reserve. It contains some nice bush, which was attracting some attention for possible milling. However, the reserve is highly regarded in the district, and it was considered advisable to protect the bush by bringing the land under the Scenery Preservation Act. The areas set apart throughout the Dominion during the year may be roughly classified as follows : Class of Land. Area (Acres). Crown land areas .. .. .. .. .. 312 Crown leasehold areas made available in various ways .. 1,694 Gift area .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Land obtained by exchange . . .. . . .. 5 Total .. .. .. .. .. 2,017 The reservation over 14 acres of scenic reserve on Motukaraka Island, in the Tamaki Strait, about 25 chains off-shore from the seaside resort of Beachlands, was cancelled during the year. This reserve was, by section 2 of the Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act, 1947, declared to be a recreation reserve and to be part of the Beachlands Domain. The island has but little scenic value, but is a popular picnic spot, and it was therefore thought desirable to arrange for its control as public domain land. The number of scenic reservations in the Dominion is now 1,230, covering a total area of 922,760 acres.

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