.C—s

2

Ceown Lands available for Settlement, &c.— continued.

Hawke's Bay. Acres. 10. Tautane Bush and other 80,000 Tautane Bush, situated in south-east corner of Hawke's Bay, is a hilly Crown lands adjacent to bush country, on limestone, excellent soil, but, on account of broken railway irregular surface, better adapted for grazing-farms than for cultivation. About 20,000 acres now under survey. Eoad-formation also in hand. Will be readily taken up when offered. 11. Border of Hawke's Bay and 20,000 Fern country with patches of bush. About 16,000 acres surveyed into Auckland sections of about 1,000 acres each. Suitable for small sheep-farms. Bather inferior. Total for Hawke's Bay 100,000 Wellington. 12. From Masterton to Woodville, 200,000 Bush land of excellent quality, very well adapted for small settlers. taking in country east and A good deal has been done and is still in progress in connecting west the back blocks with main road and railway, by opening out crossroads. This land is now being rapidly taken up. IS. Along line of Wellington- GO,000 Well adapted for small settlers, mostly bush. The disposal is in the Manawatu Bailway hands of railway company. 14. Wanganui Harbour Endow- 20,000 Bush land, suitable for small settlers if more opened out by roads. ment and adjacent Crown The endowment land is disposed of by Land Board according to lands Land Act. 15. Wanganui District..,. .. 20,000 Bugged bush land, good soil, adapted for cattle- and sheep-farms. About 10,000 acres surveyed ; roads much wanted. Total for Wellington .. 300,000 Nelson. 16. Hanmer Plains .. .. l,7G0 This is the hot-springs reserve ; it contains 2,5G0 acres, but 800 acres is leased to Mr. Fry, of the accommodation-house. The land will do very well for small dairy-farms once the railway is made to the Red Post, and the springs become, as they soon will, a place of great public resort. IT. Tadmor Valley .. .. 10,000 Good bush soil, surveyed and opened out by road; would be readily taken up by sons of old settlers, but it is withheld for East and West Coast Bailway. 18. West Coast: the country be- 30,000 Level or slightly undulating woodland country, good soil, but very twoen Grey Valley and sodden in places with wet; suitable for cattle- and dairy-farms. Teremakau, and to the Beserved at present for East and West Coast Bailway. north and east of Lake Brunner Total for Nelson .. 41,760 Mablborough. 19. Bai Valley and its tributaries 10,000 All bush, but good soil, and very well adapted for small dairy-and - cattle-farms ; requires opening by roads. Canterbury. 20. Between Hakateramea and 10,000 Excellent grass-land, suitable for sheep-farms from 500 to 2,000 Waihou acres. Altitude from 1,500ft. to 3,000ft. 21. Mackenzie Country.. .. 100,000 Open grsss-land, good soil, grows oats and root-crops well. Altitude from 1,500ft. to 2,000ft. Would do in dairy- and stock-farms from 200 to 2,000 acres. 22. Oxford and Waimakariri .. 10,000 Good open grass-land, well suited for farms of 200 to 300 acres; about 2,000 acres recently taken up on deferred-payments. The drawback hitherto to the occupation of this country was the want of water, but that has in great measure been removed by water-race from Eyre River, constructed at a cost of £3,500. 23. Upper Ashley and Kukii Pass 30,000 Well-grassed valleys and hills, suitable for sheep-farms of 500 to 2,000 acres. 24. Blocks of unsold land along 30,000 Open country, hilly, but good soil; would do very well for sheep-farms south side of Hanmer Biver, of 500 to 2,000 acres. Partly surveyed, and near Wairaki from sea inland forty miles Total for Canterbury .. 180,000 Otago. 25. Tautuku Forest and open 100,000 This extensive country has a frontage of forty miles to the coast-line, country on Waikawa Bivor and has two very fair harbours for coastal steamers, Waikawa Harbour especially being both very safe and commodious. Catlin's Biver is also agood harbour for saw-mill and district trade. The settlement of Tautuku and Waikawa has been neglected principally because there has hitherto been so much open land to choose from; but attention is now being turned to it, and some opening-up has recently been done by roads. The country is alternate ridge and valley, and would do very well for cattle- and dairy-farms, and for fishermen on the coast, as, in addition to the harbours mentioned, there are several boat-harbours. 26. Nenthom and Strath-Taieri, 80,000 Well-grassed land, from 600ft. to 2,000ft. altitude, well adapted for and Deep Dale Bun (part of) farms from 200 to 5,000 acres—one-half for agriculture, and the other half for pasture. This country has been shut out from Dunedin and the coast by intervening hills. On the opening of the Otago Central Bailway it will only be from forty to fifty miles from Dunedin by rail.