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2

forests, and preserving them from fires. Banger Lusk, in charge of the Thames and Ohinemuri districts, has defined the boundaries of the timber-leases held by private owners, and has also denned the boundaries and counted the trees in the forest reserve near Tairua, a portion of which has been killed by fire, and it will be necessary to sell such dead timber to prevent loss. He is now counting the kauri-trees in all the clumps of bush upon Crown land situated upon the eastern watershed of the main Thames Eange, both for the purpose of ascertaining how much has been killed by fire and also how much green timber the Crown has available for sale or other disposal. It was intended to have dealt with the dead timber in the Puhipuhi Forest, which is fast deteriorating in value, having been so long killed by fire, but, in view of the probable extension of the Hikurangi Railway as far as the Whakapara River, the matter has been deferred. Conclusion. —In conclusion, there is at the present time open for selection some 141,842 acres of surveyed lands, equal to about four hundred and seventy sections, and 298,025 acres of unsurveyed lands, the principal additions to the Crown lands having been the successful purchase of nearly 300,000 acres of good land in the Upper Waipa, and on to the Ohura and tributaries. Of course a good deal of this is in the Taranaki District. All the good land in the Hokianga County is being rapidly taken up by special-settlement and other selectors, and it is also contemplated to establish two or more co-operative bush-settlements on the main road-line between Opanaki and Hokianga. Gebhaed Muellee, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

Holdings visited from 1st April, 1893, to 31st March, 1894.

TAEANAKI. Summary of Lands taken up. —The area which was open for ordinary selection at the beginning of the year was 19,597 acres, which, added to the area opened during the year, 9,643 acres, made a total of 29,240 acres. Of this area, 12,363 acres have been disposed of, leaving open for selection at the end of the year 16,877 acres. Of the unsurveyed area, 14,880 acres, open for selection on the 31st March, 1893, only 2,720 acres were selected during the year. It is thought, however, that the balance of the block would sell readily if the tracks could be opened up. Analysis of Holdings taken up. —The total number of selections this year is only a third of last year's; this is probably accounted for by the fact that most of the surveyors were employed on special-settlement surveys, and the only two blocks opened during the year were immediately taken up. The lease-in-perpetuity system appears to be the favoured one, the number taken up under that system being more than double that under the right-of-purchase system. Gash Lands. —The area returned under this heading consists mostly of sections in the Town of Stratford sold during March, 1893, and which were not paid for in full until April. The balance comprises one section in the Town of Opunake, and two in the Township of Huiroa. The rural

•ea, originally taken up. Area required to be improved. imount of Improvements which should have been made. Area in Cultivation. Amount of Improvements made. Number of Selectors. A. E. P. 3,759 2 10 911 0 23 81 0 0 2,510 2 5 489 3 0 11,330 2 0 186 3 14 11,568 3 23 7,475 0 12 2,123 3 24 2,908 2 19 89 1 24 9,683 0 0 11,201 1 28 926 1 21 87 2 8 197 0 23 112 3 27 1,650 3 0 39,654 0 0 58 0 24 1,875 2 8 3,458 1 5 A. B. P. 682 2 9 27 3 35 8 3 24 13 0 10 0 0 332 0 1 33 0 11 127 1 21 £ s. a. 3,457 0 6 217 9 6 12 3 0 113 2 0 42 13 9 823 15 0 21 2 0 633 1 7 492 8 6 103 11 9 291 5 0 11 3 6 1,018 4 0 742 11 9 87 5 10 68 19 0 14 15 6 A. E. P. 1,858 3 28 27 0 0 5 2 0 8 0 0 15 2 0 535 2 24 151 2 0 119 2 0 4 0 0 18 2 0 1,222 2 0 3,551 2 0 293 0 0 15 0 0 £ s. d. 6,636 8 8 623 8 6 28 0 0 655 16 0 93 11 0 3,356 17 0 323 1 6 5,944 8 9 2,977 10 0 1,710 18 6 695 7 6 56 5 0 7,003 11 0 7,203 11 0 525 19 0 53 10 0 39 12 1 16 5 17 4 63 39 17 9 2 54 43 16 2 1 3 12 11 1 19 35 2l'"l 0 134 2 6 18 1 11 11 "o 6 347 0 5 80 0 0 358 2 0 5,686 2 0 273 14 0 1,462 11 0 8,102 18 0 130 0 0 3,086 8 0 2,241 2 0 596 12 8 29 0 0 375 3 1 61 2 20 305 4 7 879'"2 0 308 1 0 112,340 1 18 2,188 0 30 9,081 9 5 15,138 3 12 53,184 16 421