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Statement showing the Blocks of Land which have been proclaimed under " The Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Act, 1891," with the Eeport of the SurveyorGeneral on the Value of such Blocks, and on the Necessary Works and the Estimated Cost of the Works, and of the Moneys expended in respect of such Blocks.

Note.—Descriptions of the blocks marked * will be found in Gazette of the 18th February, 1892, page 336. The descriptions of the remainder will be found in Gazette of the 18th March, 1892, page 4Y9. Work has been found for the unemployed on various roads during the past year, in nearly every instance by piecework or small contracts, which have generally worked well. The following figures show the numbers so employed for each month of the year : — Statement showing Average Number of " Unemployed" engaged in Works under direction of Lands and Survey Department monthly, from Ist April, 1891, to 31st March, 1892. 1891. April ... ... ... 52 1891. October ... ... 450 May ... ... ... 72 November ... .... 377 Juiie. ... ... ... 298 December ... ... 109 July ... ... ... 412 1892. January ... ... 157 August ... ... ... 422 February ... ... 155 September ... ... 456 March ... ... ... 174 Departmental and Genebal. With over 10,000 selectors on the books of the department, which increase yearly, it is obvious, that the work of the department shows no sign of diminishing. The extra work caused by revaluations and inquiries into military settlers' claims has been very heavy during the past year, and has taxed the energies of the Commissioners very greatly. The additional correspondence entailed by the special-settlement associations has been extremely heavy, both in the head office and the district offices. In the matter of facilities offered to selectors, an advance has been made in furnishing lithographic plans of every single allotment of land offered, which is accomplished by printing them on the margins of the posters, and these are distributed broadcast over the districts to which they refer. The demand for Crown lands during the past season has been very great, and shows no signs of abatement. The department is unable to meet this want in many cases owing to the absence of suitable lands ; indeed, unless further lands are acquired from the Maoris the settlement operations of the Lands Department must within a few years terminate, so far as placing fresh settlers on the land is concerned. The usual annual edition of the " Crown Lands Guide," Vol. xii., was issued in February. It is a volume of 234 pages, in which is described every allotment or block of land open for selection, besides giving brief descriptions of the terms on which the Crown lands may be acquired, and other information useful to selectors. This volume is sent to all parts of the world, and serves as a means of conveying useful information relating to the colony which otherwise is not readily accessible. Beyond this there is an edition published quarterly for each land district, giving the same information to the latest dates, but in pamphlet form.

Surveyor-General's Estimate on Expenditure, 1st April, 1891 Area of Name of Block. Block. Valuation of Block. Works required to Estimated Cost open up Block. of such Works. to 31st March, 1892. 184 to 201, Tauhoa Parish Maungataniwha Takahue Manganuiowae Waoku Motatau Mareretu Ahuroa * Mangamin gi Motu *Oroua-Coal Creek ... *Waimarino "North-east Puketoi ... East Puketoi * Mount Baker * Maruwhenua (part) ... Maruwhenua (part) ... *Blocks II., VIII., V., and VI., Woodlands Block XVII., LongAcres. 4,069 & s. d. 1,666 2 0 Eoadworks £ s. d. .456 0 0 4,000 1,900 5,000 20,000 5,000 5,000 4,000 6,600 33,000 6,000 20,900 13,300 83,500 9,200 13,000 36,090 13,400 1,500 0 0 712 10 0 2,500 0 0 10,000 0 0 1,875 0 0 2,500 0 0 2,500 0 0 9,002 18 0 14,025 0 0 6,440 0 0 16,880 0 0 16,455 0 0 83,500 0 0 9,600 0 0 10,000 0 0 49,200 0 0 11,225 0 0 it It it It 500 0 0 300 0 0 500 0 0 2,000 0 0 600 0 0 600 0 0 500 0 0 4,286 0 0 2,475 0 0 1,050 0 0 7,837 10 0 3,990 0 0 20,875 0 0 2,625 0 0 5,000 0 0 2,000 0 0 4,950 0 0 11 1,00b' 0 0 11 it li5,00b' 0 2,000 0 0 0 lt It 4,000 2,420 0 0 750 0 0 11 wood 287,959 252,001 10 0 61,294 10 0 8,000 0 O