C—s.

1885. NEW ZEALAND.

CROWN LANDS FOR FUTURE SETTLEMENT. (STATEMENT OF AREAS AND LOCALITIES.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Befeebing to the question of opening Crown lands for future settlement, the accompanying statement of areas and localities will show in what direction efforts should be made to keep up a supply of suitable Crown lands for selection in districts throughout the colony, James McKebeow, General Survey Office, Wellington, 20th July, 1885. Surveyor-General.

Ceown Lands already available for Settlement, or which could easily be made so by Survey and opening of Road-lines.

Auckland. Acres. 1. North of Hokianga .. .. 20,000 Hilly bush land, with good valleys, very well adapted for fruit-growing and dairy-farms, from twelve to twenty miles from Herd's Point, Hokianga, by bridle-track, which could be made a good dray-road. Steamer once a week from Herd's Point to Auckland. 2. Head of Kaihu Valley, Mau- 100,000 About 8,000 acres open, the rest bush with some valuable kauri. The nganui Bluff, and Waiuku most accessible part of this country, including the open, is withplateau held for the purpose of being given to the promoters of the Kaihu Eailway from Dargaville. The country is very well adapted for small settlers. The open country is surveyed, and a good bridletrack is formed through it, on grades which will admit of widening track into dray-road. This country would have been settled on two years ago, had the land not been withhold for railway. 3. Between Kawakawa and 100,000 A fine extent of open and wooded country, includes the extensive and Whacgarei valuable kauri forest of Puhipuhi. A good road, recently formed runs through from Whangarei to Kawakawa. Gum-digging is a principal industry. There is room for a large accession of settlers in this district, which is particularly well adapted I :>r fruit-growing. 4. West of Huntly and Churchill, 100,000 Hilly bush country, suitable for settlers occupying >: i0 to 600 acres; Waikato road-lines surveyed in from Huntly and Churchill, and bridletracks formed. A few thousand acres surveyed, and settlers gradually going in. 5. South of Maketu and in and 50,000 Open fern country, 20,000 acres surveyed, and cart-road formed towards Eotorua through land ; land suitable for holdings of 100 to 1,000 acres. It is all withheld at present, and for the last two years, in connection with proposed Tauranga-Botorua Eailway, 6. North of Gisborne, Waimata 40,000 Open and woodland country, very well adapted for arable and pastoral and Arikihi farms of about 600 acres and upwards. Eoad formed into the Waimata Block, but not into the Arikihi. 7. South of Gisborne, on road-line 40,000 Open country with bush in gullies, about one-fourth suitable for farms Gisborne to Wairoa, under 300 acres, remainder in larger holdings up to, say, 2,000 acres. Hawke's Bay Several thousand acres surveyed and now open for selection. Total for Auckland .. 450,000 Taba^aki. 8. Near Opunako, Eltham Eoad 20,000 Level bush land, from six to fifteen miles from Opunake by a level line of road, which requires more formation for winter-traffic. The land is at present withheld for special settlements. Behind Mount Egmont and 100,000 Bush land, very well adapted for small settlers, but requires roads to mostly east of railway-line, open it.out. and in the Waitara Valley Total for Taranaki .. 120,000