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CANTERBURY (T. W. Preston, Commissioner of Crown Lands) Conditions during the year were generally favourable on the foothills and high country, and the 1944 winter was comparatively free from snow. Wet conditions during the summer seriously delayed shearing, some high-country flocks not being shorn till the end of February. Musterers are few in number, and there is an increasing tendency to leave understocked those areas most difficult and expensive to muster. Lambing figures generally were good, after a mild winter with little snow. Good prices were realized at the fairs for surplus ewes. Rabbits are under better control, particularly in areas where Rabbit Boards have been recently formed. After the wet summer and autumn the feed prospects for the winter are good. The excessive rainfall suited the light plains country, where crop yields were better than in average years. On the heavier land cultivation and harvesting were held up by the wet conditions. Lambs generally were slow to fatten and deaths were much heavier than usual. Many crops were seriously damaged and some lost in the February floods, particularly in South Canterbury. OTAGO (W. E. Shaw, Commissioner of Crown Lands) Taken as a whole, the year may be considered satisfactory in spite of the fact that it was marked by copious rains which, on two occasions,, resulted in floods in certain parts of the district. The winter was not severe and the stock losses have not been heavy. The great amount of rain, while resulting in a good growth of grass, has had the effect of making the pasture too sappy, with consequent adverse effect to some extent to the fat-stock grower, but in spite of this, stock-prices have in the main been satisfactory. Returns from wool have, on the whole, been good. Farms in the cropping areas have all had excellent cereal crops, but harvesting has been difficult owing to the weather and the absence of good seasonal labour. Substantial returns have been obtained from tomato crops despite slow ripening. As for stone and pip crops, one of the most severe frosts to attack the orchards for a number of years occurred in October and did considerable damage. The orchardist, where his crops have not been destroyed, however, has had good returns. The dairyman has had a satisfactory year, but dairy-farmers in the flooded parts of South Otago lost practically all their winter and spring feed and as a consequence will no doubt experience difficulty in feeding stock during the coming season. Rabbits are still plentiful in spite of high prices realized for skins and carcasses, and will no doubt remain so until the man-power position is such that a concerted drive for their destruction can be made. The revenue position has been good and rent receipts have been satisfactory. SOUTHLAND (W. T. Spelman, Commissioner of Crown Lands) The district experienced hard frosts in the early spring with a late growth of grass, followed by a good early summer, after which there was exceptionally heavy rain that proved disastrous to seed and grain crops, retarded stock-fattening, and reduced milk-supplies. Although the late spring growth gave some flocks a check and there was an apparent weakness in the staple of some of the wool, and the heavy autumn rains delayed the fattening of the later lamb drafts, sheep-farmers in coastal districts had quite a good season. There was abundance of feed for most of the dairying season, but yields dropped after the weather broke and factory returns will not be equal to last year. In districts where Rabbit Boards are functioning with a workable staff wonderful clearances have been made. Elsewhere the price of skins and carcasses has helped to reduce numbers, but there are still too many rabbits in some areas. Labour difficulties have been overcome in a measure by team work amongst farmers, but in in a short wet season the last farmers served are generally losers by this method. Owing to wet harvest conditions a good percentage of grain crops will not be good milling quality, and late seed crops like Montgomery clover will be difficult to save. Some of the potato crops are blighted, and there is some dry rot and brown spot in the turnip crops. Southland is fortunate in having at least ten large limeworks operating. Sufficient good-quality root and green crops with the necessary hay is available to provide winter feed for all stock.

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