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rental of occupied area, £34,733 15s. ; unlet area, 1,027 acres ; annual value of unlet area, £237 15s. Id. ; receipts for the year, £29,969 18s. sd. ; total receipts from inception, £191,467 9s. 4d. ; rebates granted during year to 449 tenants, £2,304 6s. 7d. ; arrears owing by thirty-nine tenants, holding 6,992 acres, £1,426 Bs. 9d. ; total population, 1,676 ; number of houses, 409 ; number of sheep, 61,544 ; number of cattle, 5,196 ; number of horses, 1,779 ; number of pigs, 8,322 ; area in new grass, 5,906 acres ; area in white crops, 12,507 ; area in green crops, 7,109 ; area in native grass, &c, 21,855 ; total value of improvements now on the ground, £134,274. D. Barron, Commissioner of Crown Lands. SOUTHLAND. During the year twelve selections were made, covering an area of 1,322 acres ; but as two leases, of an area of 616 acres, were forfeited the result is an increase of ten lessees, and of an area of 706 acres, as compared with last year. On the six settlements in this land district there are 239 lessees, holding 50,445 acres ; the amount in value of the required improvements is £25,375, while the value of the improvements effected is £55,625, being £30,250 in excess of requirements. Upon these settlements there are now 194 houses and 834 persons residing in them, the population on the settlements having increased by forty-four. The total number of stock upon the settlements is 20,889, which shows an increase of 632 over last year. The following summary indicates the position of the several settlements : — Merrivale Settlement. —Forty-nine lessees occupy 9,813 acres. The number of houses upon the settlement is fifty, the number of inhabitants being 148, a decrease of twenty persons as compared with last year ; but this is owing to the younger members of families migrating to other localities, and to other causes. The stock upon the settlement comprises 189 horses, 1,049 cattle, 5,021 sheep, and 120 pigs ; total, 6,379 —an increase of 344 over last year. The total area in green and white crops is 1,158 acres ; area in grass, 6,299 acres. The total value of improvements effected is £15,809. The settlers principally use their holdings for dairying and stock-raising, and are now in a fairly prosperous condition. Otahu Settlement. —Upon this settlement there are six selectors, holding 5,954 acres. Five houses are occupied by eleven individuals. The stock comprises 15 horses, 60 cattle, and 1,600 sheep ; total, 1,675. The total value of improvements effected is £2,375, which is somewhat under the amount required. The area in white and green crops is 461 acres ; area in grass, 5,242 acres. The lessees live by. farming and grazing, and their prospects appear to have improved. Beaumont Settlement. —Two new selections were made on this settlement during the year, of an area of 547 acres, the total number of lessees now being thirteen, and area held 4,468 acres. There are five houses, in which twenty-six persons reside. The total value of improvements effected is £2,964, which is in excess of requirements. The stock consists of 36 horses, 139 cattle, 960 sheep, and 11 pigs ; total, 1,146. The area in grass is 1,900 acres, and 585 acres are in white and green crops. The settlers are engaged in farming and grazing, and are progressing well. Ringway Settlement. —On this settlement one new selection of 5 acres was made. The lessees number eight and hold 2,236 acres. There are six houses, occupied by ten persons. The total value of improvements effected is £2,306, which is slightly under the required amount, but is £1,422 in excess of the improvements effected last year. The area in grass is 1,953 acres, that in white and green crops 275 acres. The total number of stock is 2,237, comprising 45 horses, 186 cattle, 2,005 sheep, and 1 solitary pig. The lessees carry on mixed farming and grazing, and have made good progress during the year. The present position of the settlement is satisfactory. £31 was obtained for grazing on an unselected section in the early part of the year. Glenham Settlement. —No new selections were made on this settlement during the year, four sections containing 2,517 acres being still unlet, but a sum of £205 17s. 4d. has been obtained for grazing upon them. Several inquiries have recently been made regarding them, and I anticipate that most of them will be selected ere long. There are twenty-nine lessees upon the settlement, holding 8,808 acres. The number of houses is twenty-six, and the inhabitants thereof number 157, an increase of twelve persons over the preceding year. The total value of improvements is £6,244, which is £4,939 in excess of required value. The area laid down in white crops is 551 acres, and in green and root crops 760 acres; the area in grass is 5,161 acres. The stock consists of 138 horses, 888 cattle, 1,848 sheep, and ten pigs ; total, 2,884, being an increase of 449 on last year. The foregoing figures show very satisfactory progress on the part of the tenants, who are engaged in dairying, farming, and grazing. The dairy factory is again in operation, and will materially assist the settlers in making a living. Edendale Settlement. —Twelve new selections were made during the year, the area being 1,048 acres, but one section of 390 acres remains unselected. There are 134 tenants on this settlement, holding 19,165 acres. The population numbers 482 ; houses, 102. The total value of improvements effected is £25,927, being £21,280 in excess of required value, and showing an increase of £2,583 over last year. The area in white corps is 2,462 acres ; in green and root crops, 1,462 : total, 3,924 acres laid down in crops. The total number of stock is 6,568, comprising 440 horses, 3,080 cattle, 2,735 sheep, and 313 pigs. The tenants are engaged in dairying, farming, and grazing, and their position and prospects are very good. John Hay, Commissioner of Crown Lands.