15

C.—9

The following is a short report on each of the soldier blocks : — Te Kura Settlement : All sections occupied. The settlers here follow dairying, except two, who are sheep-farming and grow a fair amount of rape for fat lambs. Improvements effected, £6,448. Parinui Settlement: All sections are occupied, sheep-farming being the main pursuit. The settlers have had a very successful year. Improvements effected, £2,284. Beattie Settlement: All sections are occupied. Sheep-farming is engaged in by the settlers, who are in a fairly comfortable condition. Improvements to the value of £3,624 have been effected. Purahotangihia Block : The sections are all under occupation, and the settlers have had a good year. In some cases more scrub should be cleared to increase carrying-capacities. Improvements to the value of £25,019 have been effected. Arapawanui Block : All sections are occupied. The settlers have had a heartening year. Improvements have been completed to the value of £3,974. Awa-o-Totara Block : Only one section in this block is unoccupied, and negotiations are now in train for the reallotment of it to a discharged soldier. The settlers have effected improvements to the value of £22,836. Omana Settlement : This is a dairying settlement, all septions of which are in occupation. Dairy herds are looking well. The tenants have effected improvements worth £4,398. Pakuratahi Block : A good season has been experienced by the settlers in this block, all sections of which are occupied. Fairly well stocked up. Improvements to the value of £4,940 have been effected. Glengarry Settlement: The results of the Dominion Board's determinations are very apparent in this settlement. The settlers are, with one exception, working cheerfully on their holdings : 62 per cent, have met all their liabilities to the Crown ; the remainder have effected very considerable improvements to their holdings, and look to the coming season to clear their arrears. With one exception, the settlers are all engaged in dairying, and have had a good season. The improvements effected are considerable, though there is still a great deal of heavy work to be done by way of stumping and ploughing. Tiratu Settlement: Of the thirty-four settlers on this settlement six are sheep-farming, two have gone in for mixed farming, and the remainder are dairying. All the holdings are in occupation, and the settlers have had a good season. Stock and farms are looking well. Improvements effected, £27,580. Wilder Settlement : All sections occupied. The settlers are all engaged in sheep-farming, and are making good use of the ploughable land, and as a result are doing well. Value of improvements, £4,087. Te Kaihi Settlement: All sections occupied. A good type of settlers, now well satisfied with their prospects, -and doing well. Value of improvements effected, £2,752. Corbv Settlement : All four holdings occupied. Settlers have done well this season both with sheep and dairying. Value of improvements effected, £2,255. Norsewood : All settlers on this block are dairying, and have experienced a good season. Value of improvements effected, £2,000. Waikopiro : Five subdivisions, one recently transferred. Three of the settlers are sheep-farming, and two are combining sheep and dairy farming. There is a considerable area under blackberry on this block, but the settlers are endeavouring to cope with the menace. Value of improvements effected, £4,658. Otawhao : This settlement is purely a dairying proposition. The settlers are steadily stumping and ploughing their areas and thus increasing the productivity. Value of improvements effected, £21,020. Marakeke Settlement: The settlers on this block are going in for mixed farming —sheep, dairying, and cropping. This is a good settlement, and the result of the Dominion Board's determinations will enable the good settler to do well, and leave no excuse for the indifferent. Value of improvements effected, £13,795. Watea Settlement : All the settlers on this block are, or should be, now in a good position to do well, and with average seasons and prices the success of the settlers is assured. Value of improvements effected, £2,800. Porangahau : With one exception, all the settlers are sheep-farming and doing well. Value of improvements effected, £17,575. Manga.orapa : All sections occupied; holders engaged in sheep-farming. The benefits derivable from the Dominion Board's determinations should place these settlers in a very happy position : with work, their success is practically assured. Value of improvements, £8,830. Crownthorpe Settlement : All the sections are in occupation ; holders engaged in sheep-farming. The high prices for wool and lambs, the abundance of feed, and the effect of the determinations of the Dominion Board have all combined to place these settlers in a very satisfactory position. Value of improvements effected, £13,582. Rissington ; All sections occupied. The settlers are all doing well with their sheep. Value of improvements effected, £3,590. George Hunter Block : All settlers on this block have done exceedingly well this season, and are well established with their stock. Value of improvements effected, £5,800. Te Mata : This block is subdivided into six holdings and worked as an orchard. The trees planted are mostly apples, with a number of trees bearing stone-fruits. The high prices ruling for wool, fat stock, and farm-produce generally have given the soldier settlers a good lift along, and with a year or two such as the one under review there seems to be no reason why the majority of them should not become firmly established on their farms. This applies more especially to the sheep-farmer. The dairy-farmer has not been quite so fortunate, as the price of butterfat has not risen to the same extent as that of wool. Success or otherwise, however, is in the hands of the men themselves, and the whole position depends largely on their own personal efforts.