C.—l

Summary of the Settlements established upon Estates acquired and dealt with, up to the 31st March, 1904.

SURVEYS. The operations of the Survey Branch of the Department were directed, as in the previous year, almost solely to surveys for the purposes of extending and completing the laying-out of roads to give access to and open up Crown lands for settlement. The strength and disposition of the staff in the ten land districts were as follows : —

XXVII

Land District and Selec- ! ResiName of Settlement. tors. ! deuces Principal Purpose for which Holdings are utilised. I I Fl ' 0 ™"!! S a r aUri " g Present Position Prospects. Brought forward lanterbury— contd. Mead Chamberlain Annan Rosewill Hago— Pomahaka Downs Teaneraki Tahawai Maerewhenua .. Puketapu Ardgowan 1,961 21 21 37 137 21 23 8 72 11 65 1,564 16 19) ::) 24 18 8 61 9 54 Grazing .. .. :. Satisfactory .. Only recently selected, Mixed farming and grazing Poor Fair Dairying .. .. .. Good Mixed farming and grazing „ Dairying ,. .. .. „ Mixed farming, dairying, and grazing Mixed farming and grazing Fair Unsatisfactory .. Fair Satisfactory Good Satisfactory Fair. Poor. Fair. Good. Makareao Makareao Extension Momona Tokarahi Janefield Elderslie Barnego 31 3 18 3 14 80 20 33 20 28 45 27 24 31 Dairying .. .. Dairying and mixed farming Mixed farming .. .. i Grazing and agriculture .. \ „ Dairying, mixed farming, and Fair grazing Fruit-growing, &a. .. Satisfactory .. Agriculture and grazing Very prosperous.. Satisfactory Well established Fair Fair. Earnscleugh Windsor Park .. Windsor Park No. 2 Duncan St. Helens Southland— Merrivale 12 37 10 16 21 8 Good Good. 7 3 4 3 Dairying and mixed farming I Fair Grazing .. .. .. . „ Satisfactory Very fair. Good. 48 39 Dairying, farming, and grazing Grazing .. .. Good Otahu Beaumont Ringway Glenham 7 8 6 29 4 4 8 20 Unsatisfactory .. Poor. Mixed farming .. Dairying, farming, and 1 grazing Doubtful. Totals 2,745 2,076

District. Staff Surveyors. | Permanent. '• Temporary Contract Surveyors. Total. North Island— Auckland... Hawke's Bay Taranaki... Wellington 10 4 5 9 28 19 4 6 10 32 3 3 3 61 11 14 22 28 39 41 108 South Island — Marlborough Nelson ... Westland Canterbury Otago Southland .. 2 5 1 4 4 3 2 5 J 4 4 3 3 7 6 1 1 4 1 5 7 5 12 11 6 9 11 19 IS 17 54 Totals 47 4-7 57 58 162 ;:: * Including one Ranger occasionally employed.