G.—9.

Receipts : — £ For year ended 31st March, 1937 .. .. .. ..89 679 For year ended 31st March, 1936 .. .. .. .. 63 636 Increase for year ended 31st March, 1937 .. .. .. £26,043 Payments : — £ For year ended 31st March, 1937 . . .. .. 94 931 For year ended 31st March, 1936 .. .. 60',449 Increase for year ended 31st March, 1937 .. .. ..£34,482 follow 0 Fmanoe -~~ funds held or "tested by the Board as at the 31st March, 1937, are as £ Government securities .. .... 51 923 On deposit with the Native Trustee .. .. .. .. 8 ' 689 Mortgages and charges .. .. .. . 58' 244 Advances on overdraft to sundry blocks . . .. 8 818 Anmra Station.-The result of the farming operations of this sheep-station, which is under the control of the Board, shows an even better return than was obtained for the previous year The net profit for the twelve months ended 31st March, 1937, was £4,712. The management has now succeeded 1 bringing the block into excellent order. It is a difficult one to manage, requiring careful attention by the station staff m order to maintain the pasture and to prevent loss of stock by the frequent sudden Sntt n g h!° T1 S f?! ' P articularl y the flats > ar e liable. The financial position of the station has improved, but a future contingent liability in the form of compensation rights attaching to the remaining leased blocks, necessitate careful husbanding of funds. It has been possible this war however, to provide a substantial distribution of profits to the beneficial owners. ' Maori Welfare.--In addition to the routine work carried out by Court officials for the well-being of the Maori race, the Tairawhiti Maori Land Board has evolved a scheme whereby Maoris may obtain free hospital treatment. The scheme so far is confined to the Wairoa Hospital District and is based the Board' jT *** ° n rent ® aud interests from lands administered by the Board This yields the sum of £250 per annum, and with a subsidy from the Health Department is found sufficient to provide free treatment for all Maoris in this area. Efforts are being made to extend this scheme to the Cook and Waiapu Hospital Districts If Boards are now m & ° f at one ° f th ® P roblems with whioh «"*» Hospital Lending Operations. Applications to the Board for loans amounting to £4,680 were granted and applications for loans amounting to £1,682 have been recommended for approval. Aotea Distbict. Pi NWt T v md Cou^ Dmin S the year twenty sittings of the Court were held at Wanganui New WCTe^arranged^ 1 ' ?° ka f nU ' from which centres adjournments to other locations T«1 P S Blttmgs according to requirements. The volume of business handled showed a slight increase on the previous year's figures. Matters affecting succession as usuaf provided a relatively large proportion of the matters brought before the Court, and some eight hundred succession orders were made during the year. Numerous applications in respect of rati due on Ws continue to come before the Court, and during the year a large number of charging-orders were made ,Xrd^«™pfe3. COmP '~ ng • "**' *"* ° f 5 -' 96 '<™ —•* of them" Inquiries were held m respect of matters upon which applications had been made in terms of ,T , Native Land Act, 1931, and reports and recommendations were made by the Court to the Chief Judge A sitting of the Appellate Court was held at Wanganui in February 1937 and during the year the Judge of the District attended sittings of that Court in other districts ' Numerous other matters of a miscellaneous nature were also dealt with. There has been a substantial increase in the IteftrSmmlte i"? 10 " 8 ' is P leasin g to note that the number of leases dealt with ? predominate Ihe Court considers this to be to the advantage of the Native owners and does not encourage the sale of Native land except under special circumstances. Maori Land Board.—Extensive areas in the Wanganui River BaptUii t 1 Taihape Districts are vested in the Board for leasing purposes under Parts XIV and °X Native Land Act, 1931, and the Native Township Act 1910 Awf T ill. ° f the leased in 1916 for yelrs , ™i P o?tn e „.i f„* tf J"" A large number of these leases were renewed during the past vear A« n ™ twenty-one years, ments the rents in some cases have been reduced 50 per cent to 75 per cent^The^oa e £ act ~ under Part XVIII of the Native Land Act 1931 (acW as flth <■ § °P eratlons lease, and other transactions), have shown a marked increase ° WllerS ° f Sale '

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