27

a—i.

Summary of the Settlements established upon Estates acquired and dealt with under the Provisions of the Land for Settlements Act up to the 31st March 1926—continued.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS. North Auckland. (H. J. Lowe, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) A number of estates were offered under the Land for Settlements Act during the year. Seven were inspected by my Board and eight others inspected by officers of the Department. The prices asked were such that, together with the high cost of roading, rate of interest on borrowed capital, and the fact that the Department had many abandoned farms on hand which it was necessary to try and dispose of first, it was found impossible in most cases to recommend them for purchase. The area inspected, comprising fifteen estates, totalled 33,417 acres, and one estate, comprising 1,355 acres, was purchased under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act. Upokonui Settlement. —Contains four sections, of which three are occupied. These sections are being worked ; but, not being altogether suitable for dairying, the settlers have changed over to sheep and grazing, with satisfactory results. One is bound to do well, but a careful watch must be kept on the other two. Pakaraka Settlement. —There are eleven settlers on this settlement all engaged in dairying and well established, and with the possible exception of one can be considered permanents. The gorse problem on this block is still acutc. Many years ago the land was deliberately planted in gorse by the then owner to feed sheep. The late vendor got the place into beautiful order, and on most of the sections now occupied the settlers are keeping the land free from the weed. On the unallotted sections, however, comprising an area of 320 acres, although under a temporary grazing tenancy, the gorse is very bad and rapidly getting worse. This is, of course, a menace to the other settlers, and it will probably be necessary to offer the whole unallotted area as one proposition for sheep at a low price, as it would be fatal for the Department to hang on to it.

Name of Estate. holds" ' holds Principal Purpose lor which Holdings are utilized. Otago—continued. Wairuna .. .. 13 .. Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Waitahuna No. 1 J 1 Mixed farming .. . . .. .. Fair. Waitahuna No. 2 6 1 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Good. Westcott .. .. 9 . . Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Poor. Windsor Park No. 1 .. 37 2 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Very good. Windsor Park No. 2 .. 10 .. Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Very good. Totals.. .. 1,121 57 Southland. Allenby .. .. 5 . . Dairying .. .. .. .. Good. Ardlussa .. .. 6 .. Pastoral .. .. .. .. Fair. -Beaumont .. .. 9 2 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Campbell .. .. 4 .. Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Crichton Park .. 4 2 Pastoral .. .. .. .. Good. Edendale .. .. 102 50 Dairying .. .. .. .. Very good. Iirmedale .. .. 11 2 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Fortification Hill .. fi .. Pastoral .. .. .. .. Good. Glenham . . . . 3f> 8 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Very good. Knowsley Park .. !1 .. Pastoral .. .. .. .. Poor. Lambert .. . . 1 . . Dairying .. .. .. .. Good. Lamont .. .. 6 . . Dairying .. . . . . .. Fair. Maori Hill .. .. 16 . . Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Good. Merrivale .. .. 45 10 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Good. Merrivale No. 1 .. 9 .. Mixed farming .. .. . . .. Fair. Merrivale No. 2 .. 7 .. Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Monte Cristo.. .. 3 .. Dairying .. .. .. .. Fair. Otahu .. .. 7 1 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Ringway .. .. 4 3 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Stalker .. .. 8 1 Dairying .. .. .. .. Very good. Strathvale .. .. 9 .. Dairying .. .. .. .. Good. Teihoka .. .. 2 .. Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Fair. Waiarikiki .. .. 7 .. Pastoral . . .. .. .. Poor. Waikiwi Town .. 38 1® Suburban building-sites .. . . .. Good. Totals.. .. 354 95 | Grand totals .. 7,122 1,710 j