o.—l

(c) and (d) The area or number of developed allotments disposed of, and the prices at which any such lands have been sold, and the rents receivable in respect of lands disposed of by way of lease or license : No developed allotments had been disposed of at the 31st March last. (e;) The total amount advanced to Crown tenants for the development of their sections, the number of advances, and the purposes for which such advances have been made, — Loans approved up to the 31st March numbered 204, covering a total of £82,054. The amount actually advanced at the 31st March was £18,267. The advances were made for bush-felling, ploughing, fencing, grassing, draining, provision of water-supplies, erection and repair of buildings, and purchase of manures and grass-seed. Special Settlement of Inferior Lands. The following, summary of the lands dealt with during the year is furnished in accordance with the provisions of section 223 (14) of the Land Act, 1924 : — (a) Aggregate area of land set apart: Nil. (b) Number of allotments and aggregate area disposed of : Five allotments, 1,021 acres. The total number of allotments taken up and the area held as at 31st March, 1931, was twenty-seven allotments, 6,578 acres. Lands for Selection. During the year 368,809 acres were taken up on various tenures, the number of selections being 1,639 under all headings. These figures include some 605 sections, comprising altogether an area of 97,408 acres, taken up under miscellaneous leases and licenses, so that the selections on permanent tenures numbered 1,034 sections, covering a total area of 271,401 acres. The following table gives the selections of Crown lands for the last five years : — Selections under all Tenures. Year ending Number. Acres. 31st March, 1927 .. .. .. 1711 456,590 31st March, 1928 .. .. ■■ 1913 460,590 31st March, 1929 .. .. .. 1911 462,563 31st March, 1930 .. .. .. 2091 402,900 31st March, 1931 .. ... .. 1639 368,809 The following estates were opened for general application during the year under the Land for Settlements Act: —

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t,t , r, ... . Number of Holdings Area opened for Land District. Name of Settlement. offered for Selection. Selection. Acres. North Auckland .. .. Awanui .. .. .. 7 470 Auckland .. .. .. Mangakura .... 7 921 Auckland .. .. .. Puketarata .... 5 422 Gisborne .. ■. • • Apanui .. .. .. 7 475 Hawke's Bay .. .. Awamate .. .. 6 670 Hawke's Bay .. .. Rylands .. .. .. 5 1,246 Wellington .. .. .. Waitawa .. .. 3 246 Otago .. .. • • Rosebery .. .. 15 3,852 Otago .. . - • • Tapanui .. .. .. 9 1,948 Otago .. • • • • Arthurton .. .. 4 4,500 Southland .. .. .. Te Wae Wae .... 4 439 Totals .... .. 72 15,189