G.—lo.

Waihua. This scheme is Crown land which has been brought under the provisions of section 522 of the Native Land Act, 1931, to be used mainly for sheep-farming. The total area is 4,300 acres, and the property adjoins the Mohaka scheme. The development work undertaken during the year has been confined to subdivisional fencing, 183 chains ; clearing of blackberry ; ploughing 10 acres ; sowing grass, 155 acres. A 5,000-gallon reservoir has been built, and approximately 2,000 ft. of piping has been installed to supply the sheep yards and dip. A good deal of scattered blackberry is showing, and cutting and burning is being carried out by the station hands as time permits. There are four workers and six dependants relying on the scheme for their livelihood. The carrying-capacity of the scheme has been increased by approximately 500 sheep, and when the subdivisional fencing is completed it is proposed to carry ewes, when better returns may be expected. The wool clip realized £1,073 from 143 bales, and 4,775 wethers were sold for £5,556. The following live - stock was held on the scheme at the 31st March, 1935 : 5,172 wethers, 1,526 lambs, 334 three- and four-year bullocks, and 3 horses. AOTEA MAORI LAND DISTRICT. Ohinepuhiawe. Five sections of Ohinepuhiawe Block, comprising 96 acres situated near the township of Bulls, were brought under the provisions of section 522, Native Land Act, 1931, in October, 1933, but the commencement of development operations on this scheme was deferred owing to a dispute regarding boundaries, which were defined by the Court on partition on 17th July, 1934. The survey was in turn delayed owing to the question of road access, which has now been settled. Practically no wqrk was undertaken during the year, but it is proposed to establish two units with milking herds during the coming season. Ran an A. The principal developmental activity in the Wanganui District is the Ranana scheme, comprising a total area of 4,516 acres, which is located forty-four miles up the river. Of this area, 2,670 acres are included in sections which have been or are being actively developed. The blocks affected are the Ngarakauwhakarara, Ranana, and Morikau No. 1, and include the Ranana and Hiruharama (Jerusalem) Settlements. During the year under review attention has been focused on those sections which required the least work to bring them to full productive state, and efforts were concentrated on gorsegrubbing, blackberry-cutting, bushfelling, scrubbing, &c. The building and fencing programmes were proceeded with, but shortage of labour and the impracticability of getting posts and battens out of the bush through bad weather conditions were factors which retarded progress. An additional area of 150 acres was brought in during the year, and 237 chains of fencing were erected. The Supervisor reports that the new pastures are holding well, and the old pastures on the whole are in fair order. The subdivision of the various holdings into smaller paddocks assisted towards better grazing methods, but top-dressing and resowing in parts will be required to revive the old pastures. The eradication of noxious weeds is still a serious problem, and concentrated efforts were made during the year to cope with ragwort. A definite programme of cutting, spraying, and heavy stocking with sheep is in operation, and the results have so far proved satisfactory. Ranana is essentially a dairying scheme and twenty-one active units, who are supplying cream to the factory, have now been established. In addition, one section is being operated by a share milker, who received half the proceeds of the butterfat; two new units will be established during the coming year ; and there are ten units classed as non-active who have been charged with portion of the development expenditure. The total workers on the scheme number sixtynine, who are supporting 142 dependants. Particulars of units' live-stock at the 31st March, 1935, are as follows : 20 pedigree Jersey bulls, 3 grade bulls, 662 dairy cows, 169 springing heifers, 142 yearling heifers, and 37 horses. In addition, the scheme wintered 1,051 sheep. The butterfat returns for the year from approximately 500 milking-cows show a decrease of 5,485 lb. over last year's figures, which it is stated is due to late calving, the dry spell experienced during the late summer and early autumn, and the discontinuance of milking operations on three sections running approximately thirty-five cows. The following butterfat-production table is of interest, and shows a marked and pleasing improvement in quality of output.

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Year. Second Grade. First Grade. Finest Grade. Total. lbs. Per Cent. lbs. Per Cent. lbs. Per Cent. lbs. 1930-31 .. 24,799 60-0 15,822 38-5 432 1-5 41,053 1931-32 .. 14,143 30-0 32,468 68-0 395 2-0 47,006 1932-33 .. 9,579 14-5 49,267 75-0 6,940 10-5 65,786 1933-34 .. 15,610 22-9 42,925 63-2 9,411 13-9 67,946 1934-35 .. 10,725 17-5 31,323 50-0 20,413 32-5 62,461