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MABLBOBOUGH. Table A, Summary of Lands taken up. —The area which was open for ordinary selection under all tenures at the beginning of the year was 141,100 acres, which, added to the area that has been opened during the year—namely, 16,797 acres, made a total of 157,897 acres; of this area 17,273 acres have been taken up, leaving open at the end of the year 140,624 acres. Of this area 135,000 acres is situate in the western and southern parts of the district, and is composed chiefly of rugged mountain-tops, which for several months during the year are under snow, and not at all likely to be taken up. The apparent discrepancy between the area taken up, as shown in Table A, and the above area—l 7,273 acres—is accounted for by "Pastoral Buns" and " Miscellaneous " not appearing on the Table. Table B, Analysis of Holdings. —The return shows that there was an equal number of selectors for lease in perpetuity and small grazing runs, while last year the latter took the lead. Table G, Cash Sales. —Of the area returned under this heading 6,660 acres were purchased on runs under " The Marlborough Waste Lands Act, 1867," the amount realized being £2,603 12s. 7d., which gives an average price per acre of 7s. lOd. 200 acres were purchased under Part 111. of the Act; 50 acres under section 114 ; and 71 acres under special agreement to Mr. Lambert. Table D, Deferred Payment. —One holding of 132 acres was exchanged for lease in perpetuity; three holdings were converted into freeholds, and two were transferred to selectors already holding. Table E, Perpetual Lease and Small Areas. —One holding of 51 acres and 30 perches was exchanged for a lease in perpetuity. Table F, Occupation with Bight of Purchase. —There were six selectors as against two last year. Table G, Lease in Perpetuity. —There were eleven selectors as against six last year. Of the exchanges from other tenures, fifteen were from leases under the Marlborough Waste Lands Act, one from deferred payment, and one from perpetual lease, tenures. Table M, Village Settlement, Lease in Perpetuity. —Four selectors took up 82 acres and 36 perches during the year in the Hapuku Village Settlement, near Kaikoura. Table Q; Small Grazing-runs. —There were eleven selectors as against twelve last year, the area taken up being also less by 211 acres. Six selectors, holding 3,418 acres, have applied to exchange their tenures to lease in perpetuity. Pastoral Licenses. —Only one pastoral license was taken up during the year. Table T, Territorial Bevenue. —The total revenue received was £2,490 18s. Id. more than last year. The excess is chiefly made up by the amount of land on runs sold for cash. Table U, Summary of Arrears. —The arrears amount to £227 6s. 3d., as against £154 last year. Table V, Lands Beserved, etc. —One hundred and sixty-five and a-half acres were reserved for resting-place for stock, quarry reserve, and school-sites. Table W, Number of Selectors on the Books. —The number of selectors is 335, showing an increase of fourteen on last. Excluding " Miscellaneous," the number of bond fide selectors has increased by twenty. As regards the future of Crown lands in this district, until the leaseholds —the bulk of which will fall in on the Ist July, 1896—have been reclassified, only a very limited area remains to be dealt with. Several lessees under " The Marlborough Waste Lands Act, 1867," have lately applied to purchase large areas of their runs, and no doubt others will take advantage of the last year of their tenure to try and add to their freeholds. Should their applications be approved, cash sales will form the principal items in next year's transactions. Great care will have to be exercised in dealing with the applications, lest, in the absence of reliable topographical data and classification reports, blocks are disposed of which should be retained as frontages for working the back country. I append a schedule of Crown lands available for settlement; but, as previously stated, 135,000 acres of this area are composed of lofty and rugged mountain-tops. I append also a summary of Bangers' Beports, from which it will be seen that the value of improvements made is more than treble that of the requirements. Sydney Weetman, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

Area of Crown Lands in Marlborough available for Settlement on the 31st March, 1895. First-class valued at £1, Second-class at 10s., and Third-class at 5s. per acre.

Name of Block or Locality. Firstclass. luality of Land. Secondclass. Thirdclass. Totals. Name of County within which Lands are situated. tonga, and East side Eai Valley 'elorus, and West side Eai Valley Vakamarina Valley Acres. 1,860 Acres. 6,000 Acres. Acres. 7,860 Marlborough. 43,000 43,000 9,000 9,000 a Carried forward 1,860 58,000 59,860