C.—l.

Summary of the Settlements established upon Estates acquired and dealt with under the Provisions of the Land for Settlements Act up to the 31st March, 1935 —continued.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS OP COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS. NORTH AUCKLAND. (W. D. Armit, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) The various settlements have been under review from time to time during the year, and certain concessions to some groups have been necessary owing to prevailing conditions. Good progress in draining, clearing, and grassing is in evidence on some of the less-improved properties, and elsewhere the usual farming-conditions have been encountered as mentioned in my report on Crown lands. There are still a number of problems connected with several of the settlements, but time and concessions respecting rental payments will assist in their solution. Any vacant settlement sections have been speedily reselected, excepting one area in Aponga Settlement, which is being reoffered at reduced values. No new purchases have been effected during the year. AUCKLAND. (K. M. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) In spite of the bad times and low prices of produce, most of the settlers on the older settlements are carrying on satisfactorily and meeting their obligations to the Department. In the estates which have been more recently settled a certain proportion of the settlers are passing through a difficult period owing to lack of finance necessary to enable them to successfully develop their holdings. In a number of cases the Department has met the position by remissions or postponements of rent or by making advances. With an improvement in the price of farm products most of these settlers should eventually pull through. In this district there are seven group settlements under the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1928, and, although faced with slump conditions almost immediately after acquiring their holdings, most of the settlers in this class are doing reasonably well and it would require only an improvement in the price of butterfat to give them a good chance of ultimate success. The Galatea Estate is still being worked for the most part as a sheep and cattle station, but during the year nine share milkers were established on the property with herds averaging about fifty cows. The prospects, generally speaking, in connection with these share-milking farms may be regarded as good, and it is expected that results will prove that Galatea will be quite suitable for successful dairy-farming. GISBORNE. (H. L. Primrose, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) There have been no new transactions during the year, and our farming-operations have been restricted to Te Wera. The general drainage of Homebush Settlement will be much improved as a result of the clearing of willows out of the upper Tareheru River. This good work was carried out by the Public Works Department, and similar operations in the Waipaoa River will benefit some of the settlements on the flats, more particularly Repongaere and Willows.

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Name of Estate. | hoMs Principal Purpose for which Holdings are utilized. Remarks as _to Present Southland—contd. Lamont .. . . 6 .. Dairying .. . . .. .. Fair. McCallum . . .. 4 .. „ .. .... .. „ Maori Hill . . . . 17 4 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. Good. Merrivale .. . . 43 12 „ .. .. .. .. „ Merrivale No. 1 .. 9 .. ,, .. .. .. .. Fair. Merrivale No. 2 .. 7 .. „ .. .. .. .. „ Monte Cristo .. 3 .. Dairying .. .. .. .. „ Otahu . . .. 6 2 Mixed farming .. .. .. .. ,, Ringway . . . . 4 3 „ .. .. .. .. „ Simpson . . . . 1 . . „ .. .. .. .. Poor. Stalker .. .. 8 1 Dairying ... .. .. .. Fair; holdings too small. Strathvale . . .. 9 . . „ .. .. .. .. Very good. Tamatea . . .. 7 .. „ .. .... Teihoka .. .. 2 .. Mixed farming .. .. .. .. - Good. Te Wae Wae .. 4 .. Dairying .. .. .. ... Fair. Waiarikiki . . .. 7 .. Pastoral .. .. .. .. Poor. Waikiwi Town .. 29 30 Suburban building-sites .. .. .. Fair. Totals .. 355 127 i I ■