71

C—l

Kinohaku Village Settlement. —This settlement is situated from six to ten miles from Kawhia Township, and the access is by water. As the land was covered with bush when selected, residence has not yet fallen due. There are, however, eight selectors living on their holdings, and improvements have been effected on all the sections, in most cases in excess of requirements. A few of the selectors are engaged in stock-raising. There appears every prospect of the settlement being a success. Rangaroa Village Settlement. —This settlement adjoins the Taumarunui Township, and, being open country, residence has just fallen due. There are, however, no selectors living on their sections yet. Progress has not been at all good, and the settlement cannot be classed as successful. Whananaki Settlement. —As tha land in this settlement is level and of good quality, settlers are doing very well. Hukerenui Village Settlement. —The settlers are steadily bringing their lands under cultivation. Motatau Village Settlement. —All the settlers in this district are effecting good improvements. Motukaraka Village Settlement. —This settlement is well situated, being on the Hokianga River, near the thriving townships of Kohukohu and Rawene, which provide a good market for the produce of the settlers. The land is good and the settlement is prosperous. Waimamaku Village Settlement. —There is only one settler who now holds his land under the original tenure. He is making a good living, although his area is only 45 acres. The settlement generally is a prosperous one. Herekino Village Settlement. —This settlement languished for many years, but is now in a fairly prosperous condition. It is proposed to erect a dairy factory next year. Orchards and vineyards are paying well. J. Mackenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands. HAWKE'S RAY. Tamaki Village Settlement. —Situated about six miles from Dannevirke, with access by good metalled road. These allotments comprise flat agricultural land, of good soil, and adapted for dairying. There are now twenty-severf*selectors, holding a total area of 2,206 acres and 25 perches, and paying an annual rental of £1,324 17s. lOd. An area of 13 acres is in crop. The population is fifty-one, and the number of stock 1,564, comprising 650 sheep, 712 cattle, 33 horses, and 169 pigs. Dairying may be said to be the principal source of income to the settlers. The Hawke's Bay Dairy Company have a creamery, and Mr. Webber has a butter-factory established in. the settlement. The supply to the former is about 600 gallons of milk per day from eleven suppliers. The output from the latter was 11 tons of butter for last season, settlers receiving 9|d. per pound for butter-fat. Value of improvements required by the Act is £3,312 9s. 3d., and that effected by selectors amounts to £3,978 lis. Seventeen selectors have been in occupation for nearly two years, and ten selectors for only twelve months. Puketitiri Village-homestead Special Settlement. — The above settlement is situated at Puketitiri, a village thirty-six miles distant from Napier by good dray-road, and is occupied by three selectors, all of whom are residing on their holdings. On an area of 88 acres and 26 perches improvements to the value of £841 have been effected. The population numbers 22, and the stock totals 79, comprising 29 horses, 11 cattle, 37 sheep, and 2 pigs. The settlers are engaged in various occupations- -viz., roadmaking, as mill hands, or working for other settlers; whilst on one of the sections the Puketitiri Hotel is erected. Woodville Village-homestead Special Settlement. —This settlement is situated about one mile from Woodville Township, on the main coach-road to Wellington, and is held by twenty-four selectors, seventeen of whom are residing on their holdings. On an area of 102 acres and 10 perches improvements have been effected to a value of £3,805. The present population is 83, and stock numbers 55, comprising 35 cattle, 17 horses, and 3 pigs. These holdings are convenient homes for working-men, who, in most instances, are away during the week earning wages, Henry Teent, Commissioner of Crown Lands. TARANAKI. There are only three small village settlements in this district. One is at Punehu, comprising eleven sections, in areas from three-quarters of an acre to 3 acres. Another is at Matapouri, consisting of three sections in areas of about 4 acres, and one of 18 acres. The other is at Tututawa, and named Mangaehu, comprising four sections, in areas from 6to 9 acres. These settlements are not a success, owing to want of employment in the neighbourhood and the inability of the selectors to make a living from the limited areas. Most of the sections are held by persons farming other land in the vicinity. Frans. Simpson, Commissioner of Crown Lands. WELLINGTON. No report received. MARLBOROUGH. No report received.