C.—l.

♦ and 16 acres of old felling was burned, leaving 20 acres of unburned bush on the settlement. There was 36 acres sown down in grass, making a total of 714-J- acres of grass on the settlement. I notice in some places that the second growth is destroying the grass. The reasons for that are, in the first place, a bad burn ; secondly, the ground has not been logged up; and, thirdly, the grass was not eaten off when it was young, but was let go to seed. A number of the old settlers have left the settlement, and their sections have been applied for by the adjoining settler. There is a tendency on the part of the settlers to overstock in the summer with milking-cows for which they have no feed in the winter. They have done very well this season out of the dairy factory, but lam afraid the winter will be very severe on their stock. This settlement ought to be self-supporting now. Haldane.—The area under settlement is 2,306 acres 2 roods 22 perches, divided into twentyfive sections. Twenty-two of these sections are occupied by twenty settlers. There was 171f acres of maiden bush felled and burned, and 35 acres of old felling burned during the year, and 237-J- acres sown down in grass. There is still 3&| acres of old felling unburned. The grass is doing very well on some of the sections, but on the unoccupied sections the undergrowth is coming up. There is every prospect of a dairy factory being built before next season, and to give all the settlers access to it will need about a mile of road. When this road is made the settlement ought to be selfsupporting. It will take about £5OO to complete the roads on this settlement. Moturimu.—The area under settlement is 657 acres 3 roods 16 perches, divided into fourteen sections. Ten of these sections are occupied by nine settlers. There was 10J acres of bush felled and 13 acres sown down in grass. There is 18 acres of old felling unburned. There is practically no demand for work from this settlement, as most of the settlers get outside work, and are evidently inclined to make permanent homes. Papatotara. —The area under settlement is 1,458 acres 3 roods 8 perches, divided into sixteen sections held by twelve settlers, of whom ten are resident; the others have not yet taken possession. There was 16f acres of bush felled during the year, 7J acres of old felling burned, and 24£ acres sown down in grass. Second growth is taking possession in portions of this settlement, partly on the unoccupied sections and partly on portions which never should have been felled. The settlers have been employed during the year on co-operative works, and in some cases have done good work on their sections. One settler threshed out cocksfoot-seed to the value of £25, and there is no reason why others cannot do the same. General.—Some effort will now be made to get rent from the settlers, and they should be required to do a certain amount of work on their sections every year. The tendency on all the settlements is to do nothing without getting paid for it. There are several sections which are in a worse state than they were four years ago. The occupiers leave home to do co-operative and other work, and the section is neglected. I would not recommend that any bushfelling be done this year, but that any settler who felled any bush should be supplied with seed. D. Babkon, Chief Surveyor.

15—0. h

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