C.—l.

The revenue for this year is £53,922 lis. 5d., as against £27,490 lis. for the previous year, and is made up as under : — 1936-37. 1937-38. £ s. d. £ s. d. Butterfat .. .. .. .. .. 4,439 5 4 6,323 2 1 Fat sheep .. 11,800 12 0\ „ Store sheep .. .. .. 1,640 89/ Zy ' 4ZO Z b Wool .. .. .. .. 4,823 010 8,302 16 0 Cattle .. .. .. .. .. 4,152 0 3 8,144 17 0 Pigs .. .. .. .. .. 525 7 0 698 14 9 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. 109 16 10 1,027 19 1 £27,490 11 0 £53,922 11 5 Total Work completed on the Tliirty-seven Blocks. Chains. Fencing .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20,917 Shelter-belts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 875 Roads (internal) metalled .. .. .. . . .. .. 944 Roads formed, not metalled .. .. . . ~ .. 655 Drains .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,790 Acres. Stumping, clearing, and burning .. .. . . .. .. 7,181 Bush and scrub felled . . .. .. . . . . .. 1,549 Ploughing and cultivation .. .. .. . . . . .. 6,532 Sown in grass .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,278 Sown in crops .. .. .. .. .. . . . . 1,000 Top-dressed .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,278 Number. Water-supplies (systems) .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 Houses, new and repaired .. .. .. .. .. .. 85 Cow-sheds .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 45 Store-sheds .. . . .. .. . . .. .. 48 Cattle-yards .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 8 Sheep-yards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 Dips .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Posts split .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 199,400 Strainers split .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,840 Battens .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 977,400 The population of the blocks and people dependent on them for livelihood is as follows : —• Prospective settlers .. .. . . . . .. .. .. 86 Married men residing on blocks .. .. .. .. .. 30 Single menjresiding on blocks .. .. . . .. .. 331 Married men not residing .. .. .. .. .. .. 102 Single men not residing .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Women and children residing on blocks .. .. .. .. 377 *Women and children not residing on blocks .. .. .. .. 306 1,252 Figures for the original four main blocks —Pururu, Ngatamahine, Lee's, and Mairoa —for the years ending 31st March, 1935, and 31st March, 1938, are given hereunder for comparison : — Sales. 1934-35. 1937-38. £ £ Butterfat .. .. .. .. .. .. 617 4,770 Fat lambs .. .. .. .. .. .. 941 392 Fat sheep .. .. .. .. .. .. 181 2,880 Store sheep .. .. . . .. .. .. 550 189 Wool .. .. .. .. .. .. ..286 1,841 Dairy cattle .. .. .. . . .. .. 382 309 Run cattle .. .. .. .. .. .. 185 1,844 Pigs ... .. .. .. .. .. ..62 474 The reduction shown in sales of fat lambs is due to the fact that the number of Southdown-cross lambs bred has been considerably reduced. It is intended in the future to restrict this branch of farming to the more intensely farmed sections, where the conditions are most favourable. Of the total lambs bred (13,771) there were this year 10,861 Romney-cross lambs. In regard to store sheep, it was not necessary this year to cull so heavily. The returns for butterfat and pigs have increased approximately eight times, and fat cattle sold shows a satisfactory increase both in price and quality.

* Estimated.

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