LANDS REPORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 September 1924, Page 1

LANDS REPORT.

COAIMISSIONKR MOKIM'/ni'S

l-.KrnitT.

Air YV. T. Morpeth. Coinmisioaer of Crown Lands for AVestlaiul in his animal report states:— Conditions and Progress ol Settlement.—Weather conditions in A\ est|.iml for the year ending March, 19-1. have been exceptionally good. and favourable to farming operations. Hie rainfall for the year was KlLo'din. for Hokitika, which is about Hliin. below the average. There were J.OUo hours of sunshine—one ol the .best records in the Dominion. Turnip crops have been very good. Potato crops snfTei- (.,{ somewhat from blight, and owing to unfavourable weather conditions at the time not so much hay was sated this year as usual. The farming comniiiiiitv in lids district should realize the value and importance of producing ensilage for winter feed. An indication ol the gradual expansion of the dairying industry in Westland is the establishment of the new central dairy factory in Hokitika. This factory is an up-to-date building witli every modern convenience and appliance. including an elaborate cold storage plant. The range of suppliers extends as far north as the Teramakatt Settlement. and south as Inins the Waitaha. I understand that the Mataiuui dairy factory at llei'cp:). are contemplating a change of policy--the new proposal being to drop the production of cheese altngeher and concentrate on butter.

Compared witli lasi year, prices lor stock have gone back a little, but there is a noticeable advance iii wool. Summer prices of ox beef were JOs to .’i|s (id. heifer beef -Jlls I" ‘J7s (id. and enw Iteef 18s to gds a hundredweight. Winter prices were respectively JSs to !’.Bs, JSs i • :l:»s (id. and JCs to J7s (id per Iniiidredweight. Wether mutton slimmer prices were f> ii—ld to Old per 111., winter prices (id to 7d. Kwe mutton 7>d to (id and old to fi.'il. summer and winter prices respectively, and I'.mih (id to 7d per I Is. lintterfat fetched Is 7d per lh. Crossbred wool Kid to It'd, ami lhree-i|iiartor-hred Kid to Jdd per lh. Crossbred wool Kid to I'M. and tliree-(|iiarter-!.red Kid to Jdd per lh. Store sheen ran (rum Its to ‘Jos (id a head, and suare cattle from t'J to £8 M's lor steers, and Cl Ills to £0 lor heifers. Lim 'wnrks. -The lime-works at Koss and Kokatahi are in active operitioll. The imp' U t'ince of these industries can hardly la over-rated, partii illarly in West i‘-I. In the renewal of wornout pastille, ploughing is usually considered to h ■ an essential operation. In many parts of Westland, however, experience has proved that better results are obtained hy liming and topdressing only, and that owing to local soil conditions ploughing does more harm than good, litis view, of I'ottrse, seems (|itite contrary to precedent, hut it is nevrtlielcss strongly held by many experieneed dairy larmcrs in this dtstiiet. There is no doubt whatever that exhausted pastures have temporarily crippled many soldier settlers, and that the maintenance of the teed in healthy condition is of vital importance. The dilfeivnce between exhausted and healthy pastures i<. in fact, the dillereine between failure and success.

Timber Considerable progress has been made in the timber industry duriM., ibc past year. Three new sawmills have Started and there ate at present eighty mills operating in the district. There is no dmtbt that (his is to a great extent the result ol railway connection with Canterbury opened mi in August. MU:’-, hr the completion of the Olisi Tunnel. M the l’»<‘ mil 'due I here i-i a good demand Im- rim n and ha hi La tea. which the sav. miller- have no ditllciihy in meeting. 'I Im total ontoiil- of sawn timber for the year was p. | ;>J|.;i:!i! Min. It., being an tin lease

“i I 7.; lA. I.Tt I" • r la-i year. I la- tim her i iiinr-ise l It! i'■ if h-alii up D- " mu; Jl.o l-'i.Ji! : of I. ihikat.-a : ia.-PK t,,., . |7i;.i;t;:: : cilivrpine. Slt.tK sft ; toI|;, 1 1 ‘I: and mat ai l’«•. I :l:l - HI this mil put. :Ui.(i7l.'3!S sup 11. came oil' Crow ii lands, l!).oo7.M>l from private land, and S.lifl.A.liOl fioiu provisional State forests.

The total (pianiitv ol timber exported I -vond X.-w Zealand during 111- year was j:1..'»7'>.7A7 sup. ft- 'imsi>t imr of riiiiu. kahikatea. and l-igu- | ii-a-a!" which shows an increase ol •> ->| I.IIJC, -up ft. over last years iigttres. In addition to the above riu:i ll litv exported Irani Meslland. ■' total of 1.8 !J.j:l!) sup- ft• "as s.-nt to Attstr di.i via (Ireyniouth I rum the Nelson dislriet • . . . The following (pointiti-s ol timber were railed lo the Kiml ('east ihroiig.t lb,, (itira Tunnel: Qutirter ending Sept. :>!)i’i.. M!j:!. d.UitldiOK sun. I'L: (pm ri er ending De— mher -tl-t. I-i ■ 7| pi •>(■!) sup. 11 . : nuarler ending Alarch .‘IM. UUI. 8,IJ!!.8''0 sup. It.: till 111 1 7.(ißJ.t’iM:> sup. ft. Timber prices per 100 sup. 11. (Irevmoiilh. are as billows: Limn ~|-aii heart. 00s to OJs • dress,ng-.ptal-itv heart. J'is to J(is; building heart •IPs to Jls: clean D.K.. J"s to JD. lire! sing U.K.. 18s to M's; U.lb —- |‘ts tv Ito l!s (id. Kahikatea- !• lists leverage!. JAs; seconds (average) 1 »s (id.

Co'd-dredging.—The American Hold Dredcdiig, Company, operating at Kimu Kiel, obtained IldlliOoz. of gold during, the year. An area of J’lK, acres was dredged. The expected developments at Citlliiultitn's did not materialise, hut it is understood that the company may shortly undertake further gold-mining operations on an area just south ol .Koss. The Kilim Flat operations are expected to continue for at least Bi> veals to collie.

Land open for selection. -No laud was open for selection hv ballot during the year. An area of ‘J.’J-IS acres was taken up tinder various tenures on permanent titles. Land Komi Work.—Twelve monthly meetings were held during the year, as sehedttl". occupying one full day each. The Hoard dealt with eighty-three applications • for land. K!1 translers. o.) a|iplieal ions hy discharg-:l s-hliers fot advances, transfers. post oonemenls, ell-., together with an exceptionally large volume of miscellaneous work. Revenue and Arrea's. lee ti.tal oro-is revenue fiann all sources (inclutlb,g Discharged S-hliers' Settlement Account) dining tin- rear amounted to ~08,8(11 and arrears of rent .01.10", h—ing a slight decrease compared W'th list, year's ligures. A fair proiorlini of the amount is dim l-v -barged soldier;. Fverv elforl i- being made to Still further reduce the amme.nl- -.list. Hiding.

Land remainin'..' for Seln-lioii. Vtt ari a of ,‘l IiJA nn-s of hii-lt land has been si I it-• 1 11 1 ■ 1 I'm- ilf -i ill". I will b- open fur s-li".ti-n slioillv alter He end of tlm pie .-lit liiiatmi d»i m‘. Tibind i- -• I till t l on tlm Did Alar-den Koad. near (In \ m-ul li. ft i- lew-l and i,;;|v. , , i- iv omditv. cud "ill ■ ••i ’ml t r< liewn 1 !e leas ' tenure. i n- a< 1 • -" i'i:iri. und-r I'm coni ri I of ll” (" ief Drainage Fnein. :-r. in ri -c-. t ef a- nroa -f 811:1 acres of (’-own I and. ’ al"'o,t rotila,,,| a s-lmue 'I ‘-nh ilivi-imt t,a‘. ing I unproved, the laud should Im available for oeeunaiinn in the near fnlc.i-e. Tie area appears to le drying up veil. The melimioavv field w ieomn'ilion with an investigation of the large swamp areas in the far smith hallow lien eoiiiiileteil. and plan- and leports are in i onr.-e of p-.^nralioii.