C.—l.

Canterbury Land District:— Ashton Block, of 703 acres, is situated in Ashburton County : The initial purpose of the block was to test irrigation methods on the light lands of the block, and this work exercised the attention of Lincoln College, which controlled the experiments. The Department assumed full control of the block in 1934, and the development of the property as a whole was commenced. New pastures have been established, gorse grubbed, fences put in order, and generally steady progress has been maintained in the improvement of the area. There are at present 1,700 sheep on the property.

(b) Total Cost of Development-works carried out to 31st March, 1938.

In addition to the expenditure on blocks set out above, expenditure has been incurred on roading, survey, &c., of various areas which are being developed by the settlers themselves, bringing the total expenditure for development, stock, roading, and surveys (apart from roading-costs payable out of Public Works Fund) up to the 31st March, 1938, to £364,548, and providing for 580 farms, exclusive of a number of blocks which have not yet been subdivided.

(c) and (d) Developed Allotments disposed of.

4

Expenditure on E T x P° rl , dlture ° n Tot *} Ex P en " t\„ Development diture on Block - to 31st March, If 7 1Q o 7 ended 31st to 31st March, March, 1938. 1938. North Auckland Land District. I £ I £ | f Wharekohe Block .. .. ..I 13,151* | .. | 10,763 Auckland Land District. Arohena Block .. .. .. 207 .. 207 Galatea Estate .. .. .. .. 99,096 21,682 120,778 Koromatua Block .. .. .. 4,466 .. 4,466 Mangatutu Block .. .. .. 3,717 .. 3,717 Ngakuru Block .. .. .. 84,723 102 84,825 Onepu Blockf .. .. .. .. 20,120 .. 20,120 Te Kauwhata Block .. .. .. 32,176 .. 32,176 Hawke's Bay Land District. Kaheka Estate .. .. .. .. .. 134 134 Kakariki Estate .. .. .. 42,851 1,101 43,952 Parinui Settlement .. .. .. .. 590 590 Taranaki Land District. Tapuwae Estate .. .. .. I 13,882 | 214 | 14,096 Canterbury Land District. Ashton Block .. .. .. .. 2,046 607 2,653 316,435 24,430 338,477 * Wharekohe Block expenditure for water-supply as at 31st March, 1937, charged to settlers current accounts. f Part of Onepu Block taken over by Small-farms Board.

Number of j j Rental Annual Rent Block. Allotments . Area. : Tenure. Capital or Interest disposed of. Value. receivable. Acres. £ £ s. d. Galatea (part) .. .. •• 19 2,271 R.L. 17,045 852 5 0 Koromatua .. .. .. ■ • 4 538 R.L. 2,900 145 0 0 Mangatutu .. .. .. ■ • 5 771 R.L. 4,680 234 0 0 Ngakuru .. .. .. .. 41 8,037 R.L. 56,289 2,814 9 0 Onepu* .. .. .. .. 12 1,237 R.L. 11,395 569 15 0 „ „ , . to i 7QK /«■!■ 8,325 416 5 0 Te Kauwhata .. .. .. 12 1,735 p 6 165 369 j 6 Wharekohe .. .. .. .. 15 1,879 R.L. 7,730 231 8 0 108 16,468 .. 114,529 5,632 3 6 * In addition, twelve sections selected under small-farms scheme.