c.—i.

Mangatu.— Area originally, 1,100 acres, of which 991 acres is in occupation by ten settlers, who with their families number thirty-one souls. The forest area felled is 705 acres, of which 534 acres is now in grass. The advances amount to £1,651 ss. lid. Total amount of improvements, £2,432. . . Awatuna.— Area originally, 1,000 acres, of which 199J is occupied by two settlers with their families, numbering in all fourteen souls. The area of forest felled for the whole settlement is 408 acres, and the area now in grass is 65 acres. The advances amount to £1,111 15s. 10d., and the value of the improvements is £1,504. This settlement began to be gradually deserted by the original holders as soon as their employment at road-work ceased. Katui. —Area originally, 1,000 acres, of which 491 acres is now occupied by five settlers with their families, numbering in all nineteen souls. The area of forest felled is 380 acres, and the area in grass is 177 acres. The advances amount to £1,066 lis. 4d., and the value of improvements is £2,061 lis. Many of the original settlers left after the Government roadworks in the neighbourhood came to an end. Bangatira.—Avea, originally, 1,000 acres, of which 200 acres is now occupied by two settlers, who with their families number six souls. The area of forest felled is 100 acres, and the area in grass is 52 acres. The advances amount to £192 6s. 4d. The total value of the improvements amount to £415 16s. 4d. Tawai. —Area originally, 411 acres, of which 142 acres is now occupied by ten settlers, who with their families number seventeen souls. The forest area felled is 148 acres for the whole settlement, and the area now under grass is 20 acres. The advances amount to £602 19s. sd. Total value of improvements, £1,672 16s. Id. The remaining sections, containing 269 acres, are all selected under optional clause of " The Land Act, 1892." Land available for Future Settlement and Disposal. There is 388,365 acres of surveyed and 357,329 acres of unsurveyed land now open for selection. In addition to the above there is about 140,000 acre's under survey, which will most probably be ready for opening next March. Of that area about 60,000 acres will be in the Kawhia County, about 10,000 acres in the Hokianga County, about 10,000 acres in the Tauranga County, and about 50,000 acres for pastoral runs in the Eotorua County, most of the lands being of good quality. Clerical. During the year 21,092 letters, 2,145 parcels, and 896 telegrams were received, and 24,943 letters, 11,596 parcels, and 901 telegrams were despatched. Geehaed Muellee, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

HAWKE'S BAY. The following table gives concisely the total land transactions during the year, the number of tenants and the area held at the 31st March, 1902, and the total revenue received from all sources during the year, which amounts to £28,234 3s. 9d. The gross revenue for the year is thus £2,064 7s. lOd. less than last year, and exceeds the estimate by £218 10s. 9d. The decrease in revenue as compared with last year is due to the falling-off of the number of perpetual-lease purchases; and I might here mention that the area now held under perpetual lease in the Hawke's Bay District is, comparatively speaking, small.

Summary of Land Transactions, 1901-2.

4

Transactions during Year. Leasehold Lands held at 31st March, 1902. Tenures Revenue during Year.1901-2. Number. Area. Number. Area. Cash Perpetual lease made freehold Deferred payment made freehold Deferred payment... Perpetual lease Occupation with right of purchase Lease in perpetuity Village settlements — Occupation with right of purchase Lease in perpetuity Village - homestead special settlements Special - settlement associations 13 9 3 A. B. P. 15 2 17 5,903 0 27 613 1 20 A. . B. P. £ a'. 386 0 3,307 11 d. 0 8 13 10,106 0 0 3 33 191 2,140 1 13 12,309 3 6 85,552 3 23 87 3 548 4 3,817 17 0 9 8 9 4,978 3 27 178 100,684 3 21 2,754 3 2 8 6 2 8 1 17 6 5 21 0 0 36 30 384 1 12 188 0 37 49 13 54 3 5 6 14 3,111 0 19 90 8 1