C.—l.

Aponga Settlement. —A road-engineering survey was carried out, and, to assist the development work of roading, fencing, and logging up, a relief camp for thirty men has been established. Late in March the first draft of twenty men arrived and commenced the work of roading and fencing. Orongo Settlement.—This work has been carried out with some twenty-five relief workers transported daily from Thames. Work done during the year comprised 6 miles 40 chains draincleaning, 8 miles 65 chains drains deepened aijd widened, 23 chains new drains constructed, and 1 mile 36 chains stop-banks raised. Some 22,000 cubic yards material was handled. Summary of Work done. Miles ch. Number. Cleaning drains .. . . .. 308 36 Milking-sheds erected .. . . 4 Widening and deepening drains .. 30 25 Huts, &c., erected .. .. .. 21 Constructing new drains . . . . 18 22 Bundles. Dredge cuts and canals maintained .. 45 42 Fascines used .. .. .. 5,910 Roads formed .. . . .. 3 22 Cub. yd. Roads metalled .. .. .. 260 Metal used in roads .. .. 2,590 Stop-banks formed .. .. .. 015 Clay carted for roads .. .. 11,799 Stop-banks repaired. . .. .. 16 12 Spoil excavated by floating and land Fences erected .. .. .. 52 57 excavators .. .. .. 188,061 Rock excavated .. .. .. 14,800 Number. Acres. Flood-gates built .. .. .. 3 Area cleared of scrub .. .. 2,316 Bridges erected .. .. .. 7 Area stumped .. .. .. 1,075 Road culverts constructed . . .. 2 Area ploughed .. .. . . 1,131 Cottages erected .. .. .. 20 Area grassed .. .. .. 1,352 Office. —The expenditure recorded totalled £98,996 19s. 5d., and of this amount £34,174 17s. lOd. was paid through Thames and Whakatane Imprest Accounts. Some 117 piecework and co-operative contracts were let, and 3,645 vouchers prepared and passed for payment. The revenue collected, excluding drainage rates, amounted to £8,119 14s. Bd. Drainage Rates. —Drainage rates levied on Hauraki Plains, Rangitaiki, Kaitaia, and Waihi areas totalled £20,617 14s. Id., entailing 1,955 rate notices. Rates collected totalled £10,572 os. lOd. Photostat. —This machine was in operation on ninety-eight occasions, and 7,721 prints were taken, covering 6,712 for Department, 342 for other Departments (charged for), 480 for other Departments (not charged for), and 87 spoils. This shows an increase of 1,855 over previous year's figures, due to extra work created by Small Farms Scheme and unemployment-relief works. During the year the machine was generally overhauled and reconditioned. An ever-increasing use is being made of the machine for general departmental purposes.

TABLES. Table 1.—Return showing (approximately) Position of Lands in the Dominion at 31st March, 1934.

4—C. 1.

25

Total Area of Land unfit m.,«i 1„, Tntnl Ar«j Crown Lands Total Area of for Settlement sold or irranted reserved leased under Crown Lands Total Area (including Total Area District. , h f, j f Pnhlic all Tenures available of Area occupied in Laud Wrpphnid Piirnnses (exclusive of for Future Native Land. by Kivers, District. Jireenoia. iurposes. jjeservesleased Disposal. Lakes, Boads, by Crown). Ac.). Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. North Auckland .. 2,599,722 441,571 603,850 98,066 517,563 217,428 4,478,200 Auckland .. .. 2,593,254 1,238,208 999,703 578,935 1,634,974 1,175,499 8,220,573 Gisborne .. .. 1,131,472 481,743 520,096 88,980 1,043,244 253,956 3,519,491 Hawke's Bay .. .. 1,543,670 202,275 561,909 156,705 371,535 78,227 2,914,321 Taranaki .. .. 1,119,759 342,086 630,318 72,832 167,204 72,232 2,404,431 Wellington* .. .. 3,516,901 1,069,451 812,937 122,491 789,563 739,726 7,051,069 Nelson .. .. 657,399 2,374,703 723,954 141,494 30,051 787,399 4,715,000 Marlborough .. .. 788,108 347,787 1,502,931 20,755 .. 108,419 2,768,000 Westland .. .. 164,791 2,176,391 660,348 392,723 .. 469,125 3,863,378 Canterbury .. .. 3,551,014 1,458,127 3,936,679 50,550 .. 482,060 9,478,430 Otago .. .. 1,971,538 957,839 5,476,091 20,441 .. 668,448 9,094,357 Southland .. .. 1,852,939 4,396,056 1,403,306 129,398 .. 101,247 7,882,946 Totals .. 21,490,567 15,486,237 17,832,122 1,873,370 4,554,134 5,153,766 66,390,196 * Includes Chatham Islands,