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Exteacts from reports of commissioners of grown lands. NORTH AUCKLAND. (0. N. Campbell, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Owing to the favourable weather conditions during the past year, the majority of the settlements have yielded increased production. Improved farming methods employed have also contributed largely to the successful working of the holdings. The financial results have been minimized to a certain extent owing to the low prices ruling for butterfat and the general slump in the wool-market. The only land purchased under the Land for Settlements Act during the year is an estate at Aponga, comprising 3,800J acres. " Aponga " has been adopted as the name of the Settlement, which comprises land admirably suited for sheep-farming. It has been subdivided into suitablesized holdings and offered for selection during the latter part of the year. Owing to the sudden drop in wool prices and the price of sheep, a poor response was received from those desirous of acquiring land. The property, however, being a good one, should be readily settled when prices revert to a norma] condition. AUCKLAND. (K. M. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Arrangements for the purchase of two estates have been completed during the year, and possession will be taken and the land in each case subdivided and offered for selection early in the coming year. One of these estates comprises an area of 940 acres near Waerenga, which has been subdivided into seven small farms. The other is situated between Te Awamutu and Otorohanga, and comprises an area of 422 acres which has been subdivided into five farms. A very large number of estates have been offered to the Crown for settlement purposes during the past year, entailing a vast amount of work for Field Inspectors and departmental valuers. A considerable proportion of areas offered were entirely unsuitable for acquisition and subdivision, while in other cases properties which had potentialities as cutting-up propositions could not be considered, owing to the disparity between the owner's idea of value and that of the Crown. Various properties have been offered under the group settlement scheme, and although none have been actually purchased, it is likely that several purchases under this heading will be completed early in the coming year, which will result in the establishment of a, number of new and deserving settlers on the land, on their own account. Two other purchases of one-man farms for soldier settlers have been arranged, and will be finalized in the coming year. Most of the older settlements are in quite a good position. The drop in the price of wool and dairy products has, of course, affected settlers adversely ; but, owing to increased production, the dairying section, comprising the bulk of the settlers, has not been so hard hit as it might otherwise have been. Generally speaking, the prospects of all the older-established settlements are good, and it is only in a few individual cases where there is much doubt about the settlers coming through successfully. GISBORNE. (E. H. Farnie, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) During the year negotiations were successfully concluded for the purchase of an area of 475 acres in the Opotiki district the property being one of the best known dairy-farms in the locality. The Crown does not secure possession until July next, so that the estate will not be opened for selection till next year. The Department continues to satisfactorily farm Te Wera Settlement. All the other settlements appear to have experienced a fairly satisfactory year, in spite of unsettled conditions and lower returns making for reduced incomes. The revaluations on Paremata, Ardkeen, and Ohuka Settlements were finalized during the year, and will materially help towards the success of the settlers on these estates. HAWKE'S BAY. (J. D. Thomson, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Over twenty-five estates were offered to the Department during the past year in this district. Only two were purchased, and possession is not to be given to one until June. One is the Awamate Estate, of 672 acres, near Wairoa, which will cut up into six good dairy-farms. The other comprises a property of 138 acres, near Havelock North, purchased under Part II of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1928. This was divided into eight sections in areas from 10 acres to 29 acres, and will be utilized for small dairy-farms and orchards. With few exceptions, most of the settlers are doing well, although the drop in the price of wool will not allow much margin, still the well-established farmer will lie in a position to carry on. The dairy-farmer has had a good season, the lower price of butterfat being more than compensated for by the increased yields. The spread of blackberry is still causing trouble on the Tangoio Settlement, and, in order to ascertain if conditions on that settlement could not be improved, a special committee