C—l

VI

The small grazing-runs and grazing-farms of Cheviot do not call for any special remark. The particulars of the selections are: Small grazing-runs selected, 48; area, 100,240 acres. Grazingfarms, 12; area, 17,605 acres. Aeeeaes. The total amount of arrears due to the Crown on all classes of land shows this year an increase of £3,788 ss. lid., but it is not common to the whole of the colony. In Auckland, Taranaki, and Southland they have been decreased by a sum of £3,547 os. Bd., and increased in the rest of the districts by £7,335 ss. 7d. The following summary will show at a glance how the arrears stood on the 31st March of each of the years quoted:— £ 31st March, 1889 ... ... ... 3,862 selectors, owing ... 44,533 1890 ... ... ... 3,755 „ „ ... 52,891 1891 ... ... ... 3,548 „ „ ... 37,341 1892 ... ... ... 2,612 „ „ ... 25,256 1893 ... ... ... 3,382 „ „ ... 28,875 1894 ... ... ... 3,104 „ „ ... 32,205 1895 ... ... ... 3,594 „ „ ... 37,514 In the figures for 1895 all classes of arrears are shown, whilst in the previous year the miscellaneous and temporary leases or licenses were excluded. This tends to make the last year's arrears appear greater when compared with the previous years. When compared with the amounts owing in some of the other colonies these figures show favourably. There can be little doubt that the low prices ruling for most of our staple products derived from the land are the principal causes of the increase of arrears this year. But there is also another factor which influences them — namely, the fact that the operations of "The Selectors' Lands Eevaluation Act, 1892," under which payments to date of revaluation were credited to the selectors as so much rent in advance, is gradually working out, and fresh payments are becoming due again. It is also a well-known fact that many selectors do not consider themselves in arrear if their rents are paid within the six months after they become due, which —in the greater number of tenures—terminates three months after the returns are made up. Ec valuations. The operations under "The Selectors' Land Eevaluation Act, 1892," have practically ceased; the few cases shown in the table below were some standing over from the previous year. The table explains itself.

Total loss in capital value ... ... ... ... ... £169,497 Total loss in rentals value ... ... ... ... ... 2,558 State Fobests. Including all classes of timber —climatic, plantation, and other—reserves, there were 1,141,778 acres set aside for those purposes on the 31st March, 1894. Up to the 31st March last some timbered country in Southland had been resumed for settlement amounting to 3,589 acres, and during the same period 6,900 acres had been reserved in Taranaki, and 5,829 acres in other parts, so that at the end of the period the total area under forest reserve stood at 1,150,918 acres. The reserves made in Taranaki are on top of the Matemateonge Eange, and at the White Cliffs, the first to preserve the sources of many streams rising in those ranges, the other to preserve some pretty woodland scenery. The rest of the area consists of small reserves in various parts. Since the 31st March a further reservation of 8,300 acres has been made along the shores of Lake Waikaremoana, to preserve the beautiful scenery to be found there, for this lake, though seldom visited, is by far the most lovely of any in the North Island. No fires have been reported during the year. Mention was made in last year's report that a good deal of kauri timber had been burnt in the Tairua State Forest some years ago. This was submitted to auction during the past year, and 21,710,000 ft., as estimated, w-as sold for £6,047, half of which amount appears in this year's accounts. Nothing has yet been done with respect to the burnt timber in the Puhipuhi Forest, and until the railway has advanced further it is little use trying to dispose of it. The recent advance in the price of timber should cause our settlers to preserve as much as possible the valuable timber growing on their lands, which in many cases is

Deferred Pay: tent. Perpetual Lease. Agricultural Lease. Smi dl Grazinj {-run. District. No. Area. Loss in Capital Value. No. Area. Loss in Eent. Loss Area. in Bent. a . •ri CC PJ in 00 3« No. No. Area. Previous years 1894-95. Marlborough Westland Otago 1,384 Acres. 215,784 £ 155,890 582 Acres. | 73,043 £ s. d. 1,838 0 0 15 Acres. 2,096 £ 117 17 Acres. 32,128 £ 266 1 10 4 I ! 6 1 2' 0 0 15 0 0 "8 1,640 40S I 40 542 k 416 'l7 io 24^406 192 Totals Endowments, from last year's report 1,393 217,434 \ 156,302 ! 589 73,625 1,855 0 0 20 2,512 134 27 56,534 458 51 13,179 13,195 33 7,477 228 0 0 Total to date .. 1,444 230,613 169,497 | i 622 I : 81,102 2,083 0 0 20 2,512 134 27 ! 56,534 458