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release a considerable area of this, but, so far, those engaged in mining pursuits do not seem disposed to surrender any of their privileges, although I believe the bulk of the people wish to see settlement advance, and meanwhile constant applications are being made to the Board to obtain land in the locality referred to. The following lands are available for future settlement: — Two thousand acres in Lillburn, Monowai, &c, districts, already surveyed: this is partly agricultural and partly pastoral land, principally open, with native and a sprinkling of English grasses. About 40,000 acres in Waikawa District, mostly undulating to hilly forest, but good land, situated between Fortrose and Waikawa Harbour. About 12,800 acres of forest-land along the Waikawa-Catlin's Eoad; some of this is high land, but generally of good quality. 11,000 acres in Mokoreta District, accessible by Wyndham Valley Eoad; about 3,000 acres open tussock, second-class land, remainder forest of fair quality; at present held under pastoral license as Bun 257. 2,500 acres surveyed land in Mokoreta District, half forest, half open, without present roadaccess. 6,200 acres in Oteramiki District, surveyed; nearly all open, but extremely poor land, but, as it is tolerably accessible and settled round about, it will probably be taken up in time. 5,500 acres in Seaward Bush, 2,500 acres of which are surveyed; all forest-land; from its proximity to Invercargill and the railway it will probably go off gradually. About 2,500 acres at East Winton, of which about 500 acres are surveyed into small sections; all forest-land, but would require some expenditure on roads. 3,600 acres in Hokonui District, all surveyed; principally hilly, tussock, and second-class country; moderately accessible by rail and road. 6,000 acres of small grazing-runs in same district; high open country, carrying scanty tussock and other native herbage. 3,000 acres in Eyre District; a small grazing-run ; description same as foregoing, and accessible by Kingston Eailway. 21,700 acres in Wairaki District, subdivided into seven small grazing-runs; description same as foregoing; fairly accessible by road. 42,500 acres, surveyed into twelve grazing-runs, in Takitimo and Centre Hill districts; undulating to hilly, with fairly good tussock and other herbage; accessible by Mossburn-Te Anau Boad. About 20,000 acres in Stewart Island, about 2,000 acres of which are surveyed ; mostly hilly forest country, and will be taken up gradually. There are some 30,000 acres between Jacob's and Waiau Bivers, much of which would be available for settlement, but it is at present for the most part either forest reserve or under mining regulations. It may therefore be said that, including the miscellaneous and scattered lands and small areas now appearing in the Land Guide, there are fully a quarter of a million acres available for future disposal in this land district. The demand for land continues to be active, and will undoubtedly increase. G. W. Williams, Commissioner of Crown Lauds.

APPENDIX No. 2.—SUEVEYS. EXTEACTS FEOM THE EEPOETS OF CHIEF SUEVEYOES IN CHAEGE OF DISTEICTS FOE THE YEAE ENDING THE 31st MAECH, 1893.

AUCKLAND. Minor Triangulation with Topography .—The work undertaken under this head has been principally for the purpose of governing sectional work, being a breaking-down of major work, and also a reduction by ray-trace system from major sides, the total area being 147,400 acres, or 230 square miles, at a cost of o'9d. per acre, undertaken by the following surveyors: i.e., 23,000 acres by Mr. Cussen for purposes of checking survey of 10,000 acres University endowment for subdivision into small grazing-runs; 45,670 acres by Mr. Wheeler, at Whangaroa; and 11,100 acres by Mr. Warner in the Bussell Survey District. Topographical Survey for Purpose of Selection under " The Land Act, 1892."— Under this heading, Mr. W. C. Spencer completed the Survey of 18,000 acres in the Mangakahia district, and explored for roads at a cost of 2T5d. per acre in very rough and broken forest country. Rural and Suburban. —The return for the year is very satisfactory, being a total of 837 sections with an area of 155,349 acres, costing £10,027 6s. 5d., or a mean cost of l'Ss. per acre—all the surveys being in a rough and broken forest country. Analysing the returns, it will be seen that, out of the total area mentioned, the staff have subdivided 95,839 acres into 678 sections, at a cost of £6,197 4s. 10d., or a mean of L3s. per acre, whilst authorised surveyors have subdivided 59,510 acres into 159 sections, at a cost of £3,830 Is. 7d., or a similar mean of l-3s. per acre; but the size of the sections in the latter case is very much larger. Glancing at the work by authorised surveyors, we find that the survey of 38,416 acres of " unsurveyed " land, the costs of which are deposited by applicants, has averaged l-3s. per acre; that 6,711 acres of "isolated" schedule surveys have cost 2s. per acre; whilst 13,764 acres let by contract have cost o'7ls. per acre, and 593 acres of homestead surveys have cost 2-ss. per acre. The mean acreage for all sections, both by staff and authorised surveyors, is 186 acres for each section. Town Section Survey. —The only work under this heading has been two village sections—one at junction of Maketu roads, and the other at Eotorua, at junction of the Oxford and Tauranga roads, being together 61 acres, subdivivided into seventy-five lots, at a cost of 275. per lot. Under town-section work is included a standard survey of the Borough of Cambridge, by Mr. J. I. Philips, towards which the town authorities contributed a portion of the cost. This work has been lithographed, and made available for future Land Transfer and alignment surveys. 5—C. I.