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Rawhiti (Locality : Napier). —Possession of this block was taken at the end of February, 1946. This block is in an area which is affected by fairly light rainfall and is land subject to scrub reversion. The areas possible of being ploughed will support reasonably good pastures with top-dressing and manuring. The block is reasonably well subdivided and there is no need for a large fencing programme. It will be necessary to construct two new dwellings. Two small schemes will be necessary for providing water to the homesteads and small paddocks on the proposed three sections into which this area should subdivide. - Gowrie (Locality : Waipukurau). —This property was taken over at the beginning of February this year, and in common with other parts of the province, was particularly dry. The block is possibly suitable for subdivision into three sections to be used for either standard flock or for fattening. Three sections may be a little more than is safe, and negotiations are under way with a neighbour for possible purchase of some 250 acres on the western side of the block. This would assist materially in subdivision and house sites. The fences are indifferent and a good deal of renovation of present fencing will be necessary, and, in addition, new fencing will be required. The property is fairly well equipped with small springs which will be developed, but there is also the need of creating dams. Oringi (Locality : Dannevirke). —This property comprises light terrace to heavy alluvial river flat and should make three good dairying sections. The block is in a good average rainfall area and is midway between Woodville and Dannevirke. A good deal in the way of fencing will be necessary before the block will be ready for dairying. Bites for houses and cow-sheds have been decided upon, all sections needing these established r as the block at the moment contains no buildings at all. It will be necessary to construct some 30 chains of roading to building-sites as well as a certain amount of track-making. Arrangements have been completed for the installation of two major water-supply schemes to serve the three sections. Commissioner of Crown Lands, New Plymouth Development blocks in this district are under the control of the Superintendent of Land Development, Te Kuiti, but certain areas recently acquired for the settlement of ex-servicemen are being prepared for settlement by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. During the year one property of 441 acres was acquired under Part II of the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act, 1943, and subdivided into six dairying units. These will be disposed of for the ensuing season, when development will be completed. Three properties each capable of subdivision into two dairying units were acquired under section 51 of the above Act, and of these areas two have been allotted to ex-servicemen and the other will be available during the coming year. Commissioner of Crown Lands, Wellington This year has been marked by a large increase in activities under this heading. At the beginning of the year six blocks with an aggregate area of 8,389 acres were under the control of this office, but by the end of the period the figures had increased to twenty blocks aggregating 28,144 acres and estimated to provide eighty-one economic holdings. About fifty of these will be dairy units and the balance fat lamb and grazing. Apart from one block where the charges were fixed and the settlers established at the commencement of the 1945-46 dairy season, all the above blocks are being farmed by the Department whilst the necessary development programme is in progress. On practically all the blocks the Managers and other labour are Grade " A" ex-servicemen who, provided they give satisfactory service, will receive allotment of sections when they are sufficiently developed to have charges fixed. This system has proved to be an excellent solution of the labour difficulties and most of the ex-servicemen have given loyal and efficient service. In many cases they have had to put up with fairly primitive hut accommodation pending the erection of the houses, and they and their wives have accepted the position with commendable spirit.

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