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by the law to reside on their selections within periods varying from one to four years. Out of this number, 301 are selectors of lands acquired under the Land for Settlements Acts, and 30 are selectors of land on the Cheviot Estate. In many cases the lands selected are, pf course, sections which had previously been taken up, but surrendered or forfeited by the original holders and again offered for selection. The forfeitures for non-compliance with conditions last year were considerable. They are referable rather to transactions of previous years than to those of the year under consideration, and are due to a more rigorous insistance on the conditions of lease or license being carried out. The total number was 674, out of which the association selections numbered 316, nearly all of which are in the Wellington District. These consisted of sections which had never been occupied or improved by the selectors, the fact being that many of the blocks were selected by the agents of the associations without sufficient knowledge of the country or its suitability for that class of settlement. Most of these sections have been again selected in larger-sized areas, and, therefore, with a better chance of success. The average size of what may be termed the farm selections for last year was 162 acres, or just one acre larger than for the previous period. The following table summarises the lands of all descriptions selected for the last eight years to the 31st March last :—

About 230,000 acres over and above the quantity opened for selection or sale the previous year was advertised this last year. The particulars are as follows :— Acres. For Optional selection ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 329,585 Lease in perpetuity ... ... ... ... ... ... 35,219 Village homesteads and village allotments ... ... ... ... 1,369 Cash lands offered at auction ... ... ... ... ... 11,810 Leases of reserves and Crown lands, for auction, selection, and application 65,820 Small grazing-runs... ... ... ... ... ... ... 114,902 Pastoral runs .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 795,770 1,354,475 The above figures include all classes of lands, whether ordinary Crown lands, lands acquired under the Land for Settlements Acts, Cheviot Estate, &c, both surveyed and unsurveyed, and the surrendered or forfeited sections that came in during the year. Several blocks of land are preparing for selection at the present time, more especially in the North Island, but it is almost without exception broken forest country, suited mostly for pastoral pursuits, after clearing and laying down in grass. Most of this country requires large expenditure in roads before it can be settled, for, as has been previously pointed out, the settlement operations are very generally considerably in advance of the roading. A very large sum over and above what is usually granted might with great advantage to settlement be spent in this direction, and especially towards securing through metalled main roads, from which the branch roads into the various blocks should lead. The work of opening the hilly country that has been dealt with for several years past, and lands of similar character, which alone are available in the future, may be characterized as gigantic. The New Zealand settlers have before them, and are doing, works in the way of roadmaking, and opening up new lands, which in older countries have taken many centuries to perform. But, if settlement is to progress, roading must be undertaken in increased proportions. No lands have been selected during the year under the provisions of the Midland Eailway contract; the figures, therefore, remain as at the date of last report —namely, 282,329 acres, besides 84,262 acres held in trust under clause 28 of the contract. " The Mining Disteicts Land Occupation Act, 1894." The transactions under this Act for the previous year were practically nil, as the matter was then only in its initiatory stages, but during the past year sixty-nine selections have taken place, covering an area of 2,931 acres, or an average of forty-two acres to each selection. These lands lie in Auckland, Otago, and Southland. The object is to secure permanent homes for miners on the goldfields, and near their work. The Commissioner of Otago points out that the difficulty which has so frequently occurred under somewhat similar circumstances previously is also, under this Act, cropping up. This difficulty is the proper adjustment of the claims of selectors to the wants of the pastoral runholders for low country to work the high-lying runs belonging to the Crown. It

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Year. No. of Selectors or Purchasers. Area taken up during Year. Territorial Revenue. Total Revenue collected. No. of Crown Tenants oa the Books. .888-89 .889-90 .890-91 .891-92 .892-93 893-94 .894-95 .895-96 2,529 2,653 2,420 2,519 3,071 2,876 2,547 2,865 Acres. 2,313,611 4,155,472 2,154,138 1,453,082 1,663,339 1,393,918 1,015,577 2,662,344 £ 310,061 304,842 352,417 320,483 274,399 282,067 338,166 291,673 Not given. 322,885 364,938 324,470 310,523 347,343 375,879 345,331 Not given. 12,164 11,995 12,735 14,261 15,081 15,326 15,683