Gr.—lo.

The position of this, one of the major Native land-development schemes, is best reviewed as at the 31st March, 1932. The actual payments to that date were £7,057 Bs., but there was outstanding £1,740 6s. 6d., making a total of £8,797 14s. 6d. Taking the latter total, the items of expenditure may be dissected as follow : — Buildings and accommodation (includes store-shed and tents for £ s. d. workmen) .. .. .. .. .. .. 439 0 3 Clearing (bush, 722| acres ; manuka and scrub, 942 £ s. d. acres) .. .. .. .. .. 1,832 12 5 Less unemployment subsidy .. .. 130 16 8 1,701 15 9 Fencing — Erecting 482f chains (Material: 9,665 posts, 519 strainers, 31,000 battens, 540 cwt. wire, 42 cwt. staples) .. .. .. 2,298 1 8 Less unemployment subsidy .. 18 7 5 2,279 14 3 Grass-seed and grassing .. .. .. .. 1,625 18 4 Preparing and sowing 49 acres in swedes and vegetables .. 85 3 5 Fertilizers (185 tons) .. .. .. .. .. 699 15 9 Draining (16 chains) .. .. .. .. .. 800 Stock — 148 heifers and 231 steers .. .. .. 1,077 4 9 454 sheep .. .. .. .. .. 208 18 5 1,286 3 2 Farm accessories and implements .. .. 75 17 11 Loose tools .. .. .. .. .. 148 16 11 224 14 10 Miscellaneous— Horse expenses .. .. .. . t 6 110 Chaff and oats .. .. .. .. 148 14 9 Repairs to implements .. .. .. 27 13 6 Clearing noxious weeds .. .. .. 14 8 3 Cartage of workmen's provisions .. .. 33 15 0 Haymaking .. .. .. .. 25 0 0 Wages of stockman .. .. .. 82 6 8 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. 108 19 7 447 8 9 Total .. .. .. .. .. £8,797 14 6 Transport of material is a serious item in the expenditure. Te Kuiti is the nearest station, whence all posts, wire and staples, seed, and fertilizers are delivered by motor-lorry. While all other items may be regarded as reasonable, those grouped under " Fencing " call for comment. Sufficient material had been assembled and paid for to complete about twenty-two miles of new fences. Actually a little over six miles had been completed and accounted for at the 31st March, 1932, but other fencing was then in hand. Thus the statement of expenditure for the first quarter of the current year shows that g, further 459 chains had been completed and paid for. The estimates for the current year provide for 9| miles. It is not possible to give the actual cost per mile until the programme of enclosing the areas already cleared and grassed is completed. The packing of material on to lines through newly-burnt country is estimated to cost £15 a mile. Excluding the cost of stock and of fencing material in hand at the 31st March, 1932, the cost of developing 1,665 acres of Mahoenui land to that date was £3 19s. Id. per acre. To complete the fencing programme required for the efficient breaking-in of that area a further 10s. an acre would be sufficient, making the cost of clearing, grassing, and fencing about £4 10s. an acre. It is estimated that of this amount 7s. 6d. is represented by the cost of transport from Te Kuiti. It is early yet to say how many units can be placed on the Mahoenui scheme. The field officers estimate that with a certain amount of internal roading it should be possible to establish twenty dairy-farms and two or three small sheep-farms as a run off for the dairy stock. (d) Waimiha. The relevant provisions of the Native Land Amendment, &c., Act, 1929, were applied to subdivisions of Rangitoto-Tuhua 77b, 78b, and 80b Blocks, comprising 7,872 acres and 32 perches, on the 20th February, 1930, but it was not until the winter of that year that work was commenced on any part of the area. The quality of the human material was not promising, lacking leadership and experience. The physical type was not impressive ; there were signs of tuberculosis, undernourishment, and the effects of inbreeding. The depression, however, which was already affecting the timber-mills in the surrounding district, and the prospect of steady work on their own lands, drew back a number of young men of a good type to leaven the rest.

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