C—l.

County. _/..-,' JNumber of Area. Auckland Land District— "" Blocks. Arces. Manukau County .. .. .. .. 1 2,262 Piako County •'...; .. ... ... ... 19 49,755 Ohinemuri County .-. .. .. ... 15 35,574 Thames County .. .. .. .. ..9 16,433 Tauranga County .. .. .-. ..43 64,135 Whakatane County .. .. .. .. 7 105,182 Opotiki County .. .. .. .. .. 17 124,765 Rotorua County .. .. .. .. .. 22 131,206 Kawhia County .. .. .. .. .. 17 120,050 Awakino County .. .. .. .. .. 11 73,526 Waitomo County .. .. .. .. .. 75 238,848 West Taupo County .. .. .. .. 26 274,361 Raglan County .'. .. .. .. ..12 112,583 274 1,348,680 Taranaki Land District — Clifton County (Rangitoto-Tuhua Block) .. ..1 245,132 ,: Clifton County (other blocks) .. .. .. 12 114,032 Clifton and Stratford .. . . .. .. 1 31,461 Stratford County .. .. .. 1 11,592 Stratford and Waitotara .. .. ... ..2 109,775 Patea County .. ~ .. .. .. 1 706 18 512,698 Wellington Land District— Mauriceville County .. .. .. .. 1 1,000 Masterton County.". .. .. .. ..3 7,164 Waimarino County .. .. . . .. 9 158,691 Wanganui County .. .. .. .. 15 74,086 Waitotara County .. .. .. .. 1 1,286 Rangitikei County .. . . .. .. 9 96,960 Horowhenua County .. ... .. .. 1 3,777 Wairarapa South .. .. .. . . .. 7 35,796 Hutt County .. .. .. .. .. 1 1,464 Kiwitea County .. .. . . .. .. 1 6,584 Eketahuna .. .. .. .. ..1 3,990 49 390,798 It is hoped that within a comparatively short time a large expansion of settlement may take place not only through the additional area of lands made available by direct purchase as above indicated, but by the Maoris themselves voluntarily placing large areas in the hands of the Maori Land Boards, Bet up under " The Maori Land Settlement Act, 1905," who can offer them for lease themselves. Although large portions of the Native lands in the North Island will thus be dealt with, yet all the blocks between Auckland and the North Cape are exempted from the operations of the Act, as regards purchase by the Crown, until the end of the year 1908, and the same limitation has been placed on the large area extending from Lottin Point, near the East Cape, to the Mohaka River, near Wairoa, in Hawke's Bay, which includes the Gisborne District. In connection with the working of this Act, and more especially with regard to section 24 —which gives the Minister power to make advances to Maoris to enable them to cultivate their lands—special regulations have been prepared and gazetted and the necessary forms printed to give effect to this very valuable provision. Rebates op Rent. In addition to the £7,034 remissions of rent, under the Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, for the past year, a further rebate of rent has been made to Crown tenants on ordinary Crown lands during the year of £6,468, thus giving them a total remission for the year of £13,502 —a very substantial help, which all classes of settlers must appreciate. In addition to this, settlers on the land-for-settlements estates have had rebate of rent allowed them amounting to £13,523, whilst the Cheviot settlers have participated to the amount of £685 (see Table 37).

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