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223 acres bush felled, £337 6s. ; 478 acres grassed, £240 3s. ; buildings, £314 135.; 716 chains of fencing, £486 9s. 3d. ; gardens, &c, £26 15s. : total, £1,405 6s. 3d. The settlers are struggling, industrious, labouring men, some few obtaining a little work about the district, but the majority rely upon the Government roadwork. The resident selectors are making good progress, especially those who have fencing erected, thus utilising the pasture. Ten have no fencing, and fifteen have no stock ; some have little or no means to obtain either at present; others are endeavouring to procure both, realising that it is necessary to do so before suitable returns can be obtained. The roads are mostly summer dray-roads. Akitio. —Situated in Mount Cerebus District —viz., part of Pahiatua Nos. 1, 2, and 3 Blocks. Area, 4,061 acres, divided into thirty-six sections, ranging from 97 to 200 acres, averaging about 113 acres to each selector. Of thirty-six required to reside, fourteen single and nineteen married men are residing, also eighteen women and forty-eight children. Three single men are not residing. Of the latter, two are expected to comply, and one is doubtful. The cost of Government improvements is £3,666 17s. 4d; the value of selectors' improvements is £3,237 10s. 3d., making a total value of £6,904 7s. 7d. Stock :40 horses, 120 cows, 146 other cattle, 2,376 sheep, and 41 pigs. The improvements effected by selectors are as follows : 751 acres of bush felled, £1,045 19s. 6d. ; 934 acres grassed, £637 25.; 1.146J chains of fencing, £1,036 10s. 9d.; buildings, £432; gardens, sheep-yards, &c, £85 18s.: total, £3,237 10s. 3d. The settlers are struggling, industrious men, who work on their sections, Government roads, and about the district. Some few supply local creamery. Good progress has been made, especially by married selectors. Ten single men, including three absentees, have very little fencing, and fifteen have no stock. Thus their holdings appear neglected and unprofitable. A few settlers occupying favourable positions supply the creamery at Waione. Others would do likewise if the state of the roads permitted. In fine weather one supplier sledges milk four miles. Others are compelled to discontinue supply owing to absence of dray-roads. The roads are partly summer dray-roads and horse-tracks. Mangatiti and Akitio improved-farm settlements were handed over, and placed under my charge in December and January last. Some of the settlers are good, many deserving, and a few doubtful. Omitting, say, four recent selectors, most have effected at their own cost improvements ranging from £5 to £290, aggregating £4,642 16s. 6d., against cost of Government improvements, £6,539 ss. sd. Position appears a great factor as to immediate success, as I noticed settlers near Makuri and Waione have made the greatest progress. Other equally good settlers are scattered throughout the district, but the absence of dray-roads retards progress. At Waione a creamery is in active operation. Improved-farm settlers favourably situated contribute to the supply. Others have ceased doing so, owing to the distance and difficulty of access. Substantial buildings and other permanent improvements appear on many sections. Several are well stocked, and an additional area of 250 acres has been grassed this season ; but the drawback at present is the number of sections unfenced and unstocked, mostly held by single men. It will require time to remedy this, as most of these are obliged to seek outside work to enable them to obtain means to fence and stock their holdings. Taking the districts as a whole, I am of opinion the progress made is satisfactory. Summary :Of sixty-eight required to reside, fifty-six are residing; as are also twenty-nine women, and eighty-one children; total, 166. The non-residents consist of nine single and three married men. The improvements are as follows : At Government cost — 2,350| acres of bush felled, £4,700 Bs. 3d.; 1,427 acres grassed, £1,227 17s. 2d.; buildings, £580; 38 chains of fencing, gardens, &c.; £31: totai, £6,539 ss. sd. At settlers' cost: 984 acres of bush felled, £1,383 ss. 6d.; 1,412 acres grassed, £877 55.; buildings, £746 135.; chains of fencing, £1,523; gardens, sheep-yards, &c, £112 135.: total, £4,642 16s. 6d.: Grand total, £11,182 Is. lid. Stock : 184 cows, 72 horses, 417 other cattle, 2,598 sheep, and 59 pigs. The following figures show the position of resident and non-resident selectors regarding fencing and stock : Single men —eight resident and eight non-resident have no fencing, and fifteen resident and eight non-resident have no stock; married—four resident and one non-resident have no fencing, and four resident and three non-resident have no stock. Lands for Settlement. Langdale Settlement. —Situated in the Whareama District, distant about twenty-five miles from Masterton by coach-road, and opened for selection on the 19th March, 1901. The altitude varies from 70 ft. to 1,200 ft. Excluding the township and suburban sections aggregating 55 acres, the total area available for settlement is 9,197 acres, divided into twenty-three holdings ranging from 344- to 1,030 acres, or an average of about 400 acres. Although' the first year's inspection is not due,'seven single and eight married men are residing on the land, whilst one single and three married men are residing contiguously, or in the locality. The remaining five reside elsewhere at present. Fifteen men, six women, and. seven children are residing. Of the resident selectors, six are residing in buildings originally erected on the estate, four have erected dwellings since time of selection, five are camped on the ground and are engaged in the erection of dwellings. Of the ei»ht non-resident, three have building material on the ground. The latter may be expected to reside shortly. Improvements have been effected as follows : Four dwelling-houses, £515; 1,020 chains of fencing, £714 ;33 acres cropped, £63 : totai, £1,292. This does not include houses in course of erection, and other improvements in progress. Stock :69 horses, 26 cows, 199 other cattle, and 14,600 sheep. The season has been exceptionally dry. With the exception of the end of March, little rain has fallen since October last, but as the late rains have revived the pasture feed for the coming winter is fairly assured. The high prices ruling when the holdings were stocked have not been maintained, whilst the low prices of wool have continued, consequently the selectors have not made the profit they anticipated. Still, they are hopeful of more favourable seasons and higher returns,

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