55

C—l

occupied in 133 holdings, included in which are eighty-one lease-in-perpetuity leases of rural land, eighteen small grazing-runs, seven leases in the Township of Ward, and twenty-seven occupation licenses (year to year); some lessees of the latter have erected houses on their temporary holdings. But little progress can be expected in the Township of Ward until the railway reaches it; at present only two or three houses have been built. There are seventy-seven houses on the estate, occupied by 252 persons. The value of the new improvements on the estate is £10,105, and one holder has failed to make the statutory improvements. There are fourteen tenants (out of 133 holdings) not complying with the residential conditions ; these are chiefly small holders of 5-acre lots whose owners have to go away to earn a living. This state of affairs will probably improve as the railway-works progress. Eight of the non-residents are living on other parts of the settlement. The stock on the estate is made up of 39,437 sheep, 656 cattle, 214 horses, and perhaps 60 or 70 pigs. The crops last season have been 1,062 acres of white crops and 1,027 acres of green and root crops. The estimated area of cultivated grass is 2,354 acres. These crops were considerably damaged by the dry season, but were better than one could expect after the somewhat dismal prognostications made by people who said that even a slight drought would mean nearly total ruin to all crops on the estate. So far as I can learn, the late dry season was the most severe for a great many years ; and when greater attention is paid to the conservation of the generally abundant winter rainfall there is no reason why the settlement should not continue its present prosperity. Over 1,000 tons of flax was sent to the flax-mills, chiefly in Blenheim and the neighbourhood. This has been a material help. F. Stephenson Smith, Commission of Crown Lands. WESTLAND. Poerua Settlement. —This settlement is in a very satisfactory position, and is fully occupied. At the beginning of the season the prospects were not very bright, as grass was backward, owing to the late spring ; but the after-weather fully compensated, as evidenced by the abundance of feed of all kinds; in fact, this year is judged to have been the best known for quantity and. quality of fodder, &c, the oaten and meadow hay being remarkably good, while the root-crops gave handsome returns. All the original swamp land is rapidly drying up, this being due to the draining, which is persistently made. Not much bushfelling has been done during the year, the settlers being busy cleaning up their clearings, fencing, and building. Two new houses have been erected on the estate, and some good haysheds also built. The breed of cattle has improved very much, and the young horses bred on the settlement look well. Most of the settlers supply milk to the local creamery —one has a separator and a churn, and finds a ready market for his butter. The flood-waters of a creek have scoured some land away, and thus caused some loss and annoyance ; but, apart from this, the present position of the tenants is excellent, and their future appears assured. The following figures indicate the present aspect of the settlement: Area, 3,230 acres ; number of occupied sections, 19 ; total population, 71 ; numbers of stock—sheep 680, horses 68, cattle 800, pigs 90 ; area in grass, 1,600 acres ; area in white and green crops, 34 acres ; requirements of Act, £1,887 ; how far complied with, £7,644 ; arrears of rental, nil. Kokatahi Settlement. —This estate has had a very successful year, and although, as elsewhere, the spring feed was very backward, yet the subsequent good weather made amends, for the crops turned out well, some fields of turnips being especially good. Hay, both oaten and meadow, were well saved, and all the barns are full for winter feed. There are seven tenants on the estate ; four of these supply milk to the factory, and the other three breed and fatten cattle and sheep. One new house has been erected this year, and a new barn is also in course of construction ; this will complete the requisite number of barns and sheds. Many of the tenants are doing good work in ploughing, and all are improving their holdings ; their homesteads are all well and faithfully built, the fences are in thorough good order, and the coming year is awaited with hopefulness. The following statement exhibits the present position : Area of the estate, 1,895 acres ; number of occupied sections, 7 ; total population, 40 ; numbers of stock —sheep 1,949, horses 33, cattle 305, pigs 53 ; area in grass, 1,653 acres ; area in white and green crops, 47 acres ; requirements of Act, £268 ; how' far complied with, £3,940 ; arrears of rental, nil. G. J. Roberts, Commissioner of Crown Lands. CANTERBURY. Lands opened dueing the Yeae. No new estates have been acquired or offered during the year, and the only lands offered under this system in addition to those available at the beginning of the year were seven allotments, totalling 630 acres 3 roods, situated in the Annan, Kinloch, Highbank, and Waikakahi Settlements, and Puhuka Hamlet, these allotments having reverted to the Crown by forfeiture or surrender. All but one allotment of 1 acre have been reselected. The lands available for selection at the close of the year consisted of thirty-five small town and village allotments, totalling 16 acres 3 roods 13 perches, situated in the Annan, Highbank, Rosewill, and Waikakahi Settlements, and the Kapuatohe Hamlet. No fresh estates are at present in view for acquisition or disposal during the ensuing year.