C—No. 1.

Mr. Nicholson. Continued.

The acreage of the Mining Reserve and Commonage in this district; within which it has been decided no Agricultural Leases have to be granted is 9,550 acres (approx.) The member of different applicants for Agricultural Leases in this Goldfield is about 400. Also, to enclose the list of- questions prepared by you, which, I think, have been, so far as this district is concerned, fully answered. I have, &c, James Nicholson, Draughtsman, Messrs. Domett and Strode, Special Commissioners, Dunedin.

[Enclosure.] List of questions for District Surveyor and Draughtsman (Messrs. Adams and Nicholson, J I.—You know the Blocks reserved or covenanted to be taken on Bun 123? 2. —Has any of it yet been taken up, or bought ? 3.—How much ? 4.—Has it been bought with a view to agricultural farming ? s.—Can you account for no more having been taken up ? 6.—ls there any, or sufficient, available pasture land for the cattle of small agriculturists, i.e., sufficiently near to the arable land ? 7. —Give the same information with respect to the Block on Fulton's Run, No. 48 ? Is this land too far off for settlers at the diggings to occupy, either because they could not carry on simultaneously their mining oporations with farming in that Block or on other accounts ? 8. —Is the Block surveyed and open for sale ? 9.—Can applicants for purchase at this moment obtain land, wanted in all or any of those Blocks taken out of Runs for sale, without difficulty or unreasonable delay ? Or in the Agricultural Reserve ! If not, why not '{■ . *£. 10.—It has been stated that the whole, either of Eun 123 or 137, would suffice for the immediate wants of the inhabitants of Tuapeka District. How much agricultural land is there on e:ich of these Runs ? What is the character and where are the Blocks situated on these Runs ? 11.—What proportion does the agricultural land bear to the pastoral on these Runs? 12.— Can you state at what rate bond fide agricultural settlement has taken place since the Tuapeka Diggings commenced, i.e. What is approximately the average annual number of settlers on agricultural kinds, and of the average size of the allotments they have settled upon % 13.—Would the number of these under the most advantageous circumstances that can be offered be likely to increase in the next few years, in the immediate future? 14, —Do you know the circumstances of McAllister's applications to purchase 1,000 acres on Messrs. (Au -gill.and Anderson's Run? 15. To whom was a portion of this land afterwards leased, and on what terms ? \G, Can you account for the refusal of M'Allister's applications ? 17. —Do you know anything of the sale of Block No. 2, Pomahaka Hundred, which Mr. Fenton ->. applied to purchase 1 18. —Is it superior land to that in Block No. 1, same Hundred, which Mr. (Jormack had previously applied through Mr. Hughes to purchase, but was refused ? 19. —Do you know that Block No. 2 was sold for £1 per acre, with only a fortnight's notice, though the inferior Block No. 1 fetched 35 shillings per acre ? 20.—D0 you know anything of applications by Mr. Fenton (a partner of Mr. Cormack's) to purchase land at the Beaumont, or why his applications were rejected ? 21. —Is there any, or much agricultural land left in the Agricultural Reserve, still open to be taken up % 22.—Have any applications been made for land within the last 12 months from Blue Spur Diggers, desirous of settling ? 23.—D0 you know whether the cattle running on the Agricultural Reserve are the property of bond, fide Agricultural Farmers or not 1 24. —Do the}' , keep cattle or sheep as subsidiary to farming or as a separate occupation 1 25.—Are you aware that several large sheep-owners arc using a large portion of this Reserve without being Agricultural Settle-re at- all, or merely nominally so ?

Enclosure.

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ADMINISTRATION OF CROWN