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excellent crops were grown in 1945, particularly onions. Extensive sowings and plantings were again made in the spring, but the prospects for the •coming season as regards production are far from bright, the long spell of -dry weather being the main contributing factor. The poultry industry continues to do well, and the very satisfactory returns in 1944 have been carried on into the past year. Egg-production amounted to 8,449 dozen, and a setting of 69 dozen eggs in the incubators turned out very well. The cockerels from these hatchings were fattened, and realized good prices in the local market. In connection with the timber-working industry, a good deal of work has been done. A total of 8,100 young trees were planted out in paddock No. 1— 7,300 Pinus radiata and 800 macrocarpas. It is hoped to have the work ■completed in the coming year, after which the only planting work needed on this area will be for the purpose of replacing dead trees, The work done to date has been generally satisfactory and the plantation as a whole is looking well. The July gale, followed by a heavy snowfall, brought down numerous trees in the established plantations, but the appearance of these plantations has not been marred to any extent as a result. Prom the fallen trees a total of 94 cords of excellent firewood has been obtained. The farming section, under the direction of Mr. H. J. S. Wilson as Farm-manager with sheep-raising and cropping as the main activities, has come through a successful season. In the sheep section the flock came through the trying conditions of the winter very well. A total of 1,294 lambs were reared from the Paparua flock, giving a percentage of approximately 104. The wool clip totalled 44 bales. Several lines of store wethers, totalling 785 in all, were purchased for fattening and resale. Of these, 125 were sold in the wool at Addington, and the remainder were shorn before being sold and produced 16 bales of wool. Altogether the venture turned >out a most profitable one, a gain of over £6OO on the deals being the final result. Abnormally dry conditions in the spring and early summer months had, an adverse effect on the pastures, and as a result the fattening of the lambs was considerably retarded, only 90 lambs being ready for the works by the end of the year. In the cropping section, the usual comprehensive -programme of sowings was carried out. Oats, wheat, turnips, rape, and mangels were sown for fodder purposes, with, in some cases., a surplus left over 1 for sale. The turnip crop was very good, and some revenue was obtained from grazing and from sale for removal from the paddock. The potato crop was fairly good, and considerable quantities were shipped to North Island institutions for ration purposes. Despite the dry spring weather, the grain crops are doing fairly well, but the pasture growth was very poor and hand-feeding will probably be necessary in the early months of 1946. Dairying was carried on on a small scale, the main purpose being to supply milk for institution use. There is, as a rule, a small surplus of milk to be seperated into cream and sold to a local dairy factory. All of the beef required for ration purposes was killed on the property. The cultivation work on the farm is carried out by teams of horses and by a tractor. Early in the year a new tractor was purchased, and is doing an excellent job. In conclusion, I am pleased to report that the members _ of the staff at this institution have given their enthusiastic support during the past year both in the maintaining of a good standard of discipline amongst the prisoners and in the carrying-out of the various industrial and other activities. The help I have received from all ranks has been most encouraging.

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