C—l

58

one souls. The stock carried on the whole area includes 2,680 sheep; 250 head of cattle, principally dairy-cows; and 35 horses. The settlers use their holdings chiefly for dairying purposes, and very little cropping is done. The area in crop last season included 83 acres of grain, and 51 acres of root and green crops ; 630 acres was in cultivated grasses, and the balance in native pasture. The total value of improvements required is £1,893 7s. 4d., and the value effected £4,707. All the lessees are complying satisfactorily, and are doing fairly well, though some of them find the areas small for the maintenance of themselves and their families. Orakipaoa Settlement (near Temuka, Geraldine County).—Established June, 1896. Area purchased, 584 acres and 31 perches. There are twenty-seven holders in the settlement, twenty dwellinghouses have been erected, and the resident population is ninety-five. The stock includes 143 cattle, 37 horses, and 52 pigs ; 127 acres was in grain-crop last season, 53 acres in green and root crops, and 190 acres in cultivated grasses. The total value of improvements required is £1,492 7s. 4d., and the value effected £2,338 19s. There are a few cases of deficiency in value of improvements effected, due to the fact that some of the lessees reside by permission on original selections in the neighbouring Arowhenua Village Settlement, and therefore have no buildings on their holdings at Orakipaoa. The crops have been light, and feed has suffered from the dry season, but the tenants appear contented, as the settlement is well situated in a farming district where employment is generally obtainable. Highbank Settlement (near Methven, Ashburton County). —Established June, 1896. Area purchased, 9,121 acres 3 roods 8 perches. The number of sections occupied is seventy-five, and the number of dwellinghouses fifty-seven; the population is 235; and the stock comprises 10,19.1 sheep, 201 cattle, 288 horses, and 150 pigs. Last season there was 2,857 acres under white crop, and 756 acres under root and green crops ; 235 acres was occupied b}' plantations, gardens, &c. ; and the balance is in cultivated grasses. The value of improvements required is £13,902 145., and the value effected £19,352 14s. Id. With two minor exceptions, the conditions of the leases are being satisfactorily fulfilled. The Ranger reports that the settlement is in a very prosperous condition, most of the tenants have comfortable homesteads, the buildings and other improvements are kept in good order, and the holdings well cultivated ; crops generally have yielded good results, and recent rains have brought on winter feed. A number of leases in the settlement have changed hands lately at prices that should be satisfactory to the outgoing tenants Otarakaro Settlement (at Fendalton, a Suburb of Christchurch).—Established March, 1897. Area purchased, 39 acres 3 roods 9 perches, which is occupied by seven tenants in areas varying from 5 to 7 acres. There are seven dwellinghouses, inhabited by twenty-five souls ; the total value of improvements required is £202, and the value effected £1,650. 28 acres of the land is in pasture, on which thirteen cows are kept; 8 acres is in orchards, and 4 acres in gardens. Wharenui Hamlet (at Riccarton, a Suburb of Christchurch). —Established March, 1897, being the first workmen's homes settlement in the district. Area purchased, 73 acres 1 rood 10 perches, divided into twenty-six holdings. There are twenty-six dwellinghouses, and the population is 121 souls. The total value of improvements required is £810 Is., and the value effected £5,859. All the lessees are residing and complying. About 20 acres is in orchards and gardens, most of which is in capital order; 6J acres was in crops of potatoes, peas, &c, and the remainder in pasture, on which 15 cows and 8 horses graze. Rakitairi Settlement (between Temuka and Hilton, Geraldine County).—Established, March, 1897. Area purchased, 3,526 acres 1 rood 26 perches. Number of sections occupied, 22 ; dwellinghouses, 18 ; and souls resident, 81. The stock on the settlement consists of 3,885 sheep, 102 cattle, and 129 horses. Grain-crops were sown last season on 964 acres, and green and root crops on 401 acres ; 1,935 acres is in cultivated grasses, and 221 acres in tussock, &c. The grain-harvest was light, owing to the dry season, though the quality of the grain was good ; the turnip and rape crops are also badly blighted, so that a shortage of winter feed is probable. The settlement, however, is a successful and prosperous one. The value of improvements required is £4,915 2s. 3d., and the value of those effected is £6,773 19s. 6d. Waiapi Settlement (near Temuka, Geraldine County). —Established March, 1897. Area purchased, 1,124 acres 2 roods 36 perches. Number of sections occupied, 15; dwellinghouses, 14; population of the settlement, 66. The stock includes 898 sheep, 154 head of cattle, and 67 horses. The area cultivated last season comprised 359 acres in grain-crop, and 130 acres in green and root crops ; 589 acres are in cultivated grasses, and 46 acres in gardens, plantations, &c. All of the lessees are residing and complying satisfactorily, and the value of improvements effected is £4,015 3s. Id., against £1,821 6s. 9d. required. The tenants practice dairying and mixed farming ; crops have been light on account of the dry season, but feed is now plentiful, and the holders appear comfortable and contented. More attention might with advantage be paid by the occupiers of small sections to the planting of orchards. Horsley Down Settlement (near Hawarden, Ashley County).—Established June, 1897. Area purchased, 3,982 acres 3 roods 35 perches. The number of selectors is twenty-six, and the total population ninety-eight, residing in twenty-four dwellinghouses. The number of sheep held by the settlers is 4,826, from which a good lambing, averaging over 100 per cent., was obtained ; there are also 134 head of cattle, 119 horses, and 42 pigs. The crops last season included 650 acres in grain, and 300 acres in root or green crops ; 335 acres was in fallow, native pasture, plantations, &c, and the balance of the settlement was in cultivated grasses. Owing to the dry season, the crops did not turn out well. The value of improvements required is £4,770 3s. 10d., and value effected £12,633 3s. 3d. All the settlers have complied satisfactorily with the conditions of their leases, and appear to be doing well. Albury Settlement (at Albury, Mackenzie County). —Established, April, 1897. The area purchased was 19,539 acres I rood 24 perches, to which was added a block of 5,457 acres of adjoining pastoral Crown land, the total number of holdings being seventy-five. Sixty dwellinghouses have been erected, and the resident population is 327 souls. The whole area carries 23,820 sheep, 605 head of cattle, 455