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known in Tolaga Bay district. However, the rainy weather in April and May helped considerably to make a recovery as regards the feed available for stock. At the present time there are 1,028 run cattle, 8,025 sheep, also 15 horses on the property. During the year 2,824 sheep were sold off with 303 cattle. Te Kao Dairy Scheme The Te Kao lands, vested in the Tokerau District Maori Land Board, comprise the Parengarenga and Pakohu Blocks in the North Auckland district. These were blocks in respect of which the Native Minister had redeemed survey mortgages and which were vested in a Maori Council by section 3 of the Maori Land Claims Adjustment Laws Amendment Act, 1904. By section 287 of the Native Land Act, 1909, these lands were brought within Part XY of the Act of 1909, and are now within Part XY of the Act of 1931. The Te Kao Native settlement on these blocks lies on the shores of Parengarenga Harbour about forty-five miles to the north-west of Awanui and about twelve miles from the nearest European settlement. The population consists of about 330 Maoris-—men, women, and children —who are occupying approximately 4,325 acres of land which may be classed as being one-third good, flat or drained raupo swamp, one-third sandy gum country, and the balance clay or very light semi-volcanic soil. By the end of 1924, gum-digging had ceased at Te Kao and the people, members of the Apouri Tribe, were in dire distress. They were living in crude corrguated-iron shacks, many of them being without floor or lining, the families were ill-nourished, and the infantile-death rate was one child in every four under twelve months old. The President of the Tokerau District Maori Land Board was empowered to advance money to the local, people for the establishment of farming ventures. These settlers have since had their accounts transferred to the Native Department and they are now units under the Native land-development scheme. Morikau Farm This property is situated on the Wanganui River some forty-seven miles from Wanganui and adjoins the Ranana development scheme. The lands, which comprise parts of the Morikau No. 1, Ranana, and Ngarakauwhakarara Blocks, were vested in the Aotea District Maori Land Board by Orders in •Council under section 4 of the Maori Land Settlement Act Amendment Act, 1906. During the year 1910 1 the Board decided, in lieu of leasing the land to Natives to farm the property under Part XV of the Native Land Act, 1909, and has continued to do so under the provisions of this Act (now Part XY of the Act of 1931). The farm comprises an area of 11,806 acres, of which 5,735 acres have been developed. Activities during the past year have been restricted to maintenance and seasonal station operations, and, despite frequent changes in staff, the maximum possible work has been carried out. The access road has been re-formed and is being metalled to the wool-shed, while a road has been formed for a distance of approximately two and a half miles into the property. The latest balance-sheet (30th June, 1945) revealed permanent improvements, £43,025; investments, £10,390; sundry assets, £1,043; and live-stock, £16,064; or a total security value of £70,522, apart from the unimproved value of the land. During the past year the owners resolved to appropriate sums aggregating £9,000 for the reconstruction and renovation of pas on the Wanganui River .and as a contribution to the Ngarimu Scholarship Fund, and approval of these proposals is at present under consideration by the Native Land Court.

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