C—l

75

licenses, over 246 acres, at £18 8s lOd. yearly. There are twenty-four houses, while the population is seventy-eight. Number of sheep, 7,870; cattle, 242; horses, 194; pigs, 33. Area in new grass, 876 acres ; in white crop, 2,473 acres ; green crop, 436 acres ; native grass, &c, 752 acres. Value of improvements effected, £15,833. The Ranger states that " this settlement is making very steady progress indeed. When purchased it was said by many people that too high a price had been paid for the land, but the settlers who were fortunate enough to obtain sections at the ballot know how wide of the mark that statement was. Certainly they had a succession of good seasons with high prices ruling for all farm-produce, but, independent of that, the very high premiums which are being paid for the goodwill of the leases show that the price paid was not too high. The principal sources of income are wool-growing, raising fat lambs, and the dairy factory. The improvements, consisting of buildings and fencing, are of a most substantial character, and the settlers themselves are prosperous and well satisfied with their prospects." Barnego. —Established May, 1900. Area, 7,079 acres, the holdings numbering twenty-four, and covering a total area of 7,054 acres, at £1,404 2s. 6d. per annum, inclusive of one miscellaneous license, over 19 acres 1 rood 5 perches, at £1 per annum. The dwellings number 16 ; population, 60. Sheep, 3,790 ; cattle, 291; horses, 81; pigs, 50. Area in new grass, 530 acres ; in white crop, 552 acres; green crop, 568 acres ; native grass, &c, 374 acres. Value of improvements, £8,521 15s. The Ranger, in his report, says, " The dry season has more or less affected the position of the settlers occupying the higher land. The want of rain during December and January gave both grass and root crops a considerable set-back, and, though a good growth has been experienced since early February, the turnipcrops are not up to their usual standard. The grain-crops are fair, and several good yields have been obtained. The fall in wool has rather Seriously affected those settlers who depend largely on sheep. As against this loss, however, good lambing-averages were obtained. The settlers on the flat land who go in chiefly for dairying have had a really good year. The season suited them, and, though their rootcrops may not come up to the average, they will have good grass, and their cattle are in good condition to begin the winter. The Barnego settlers generally have had a very fair season. Their position is sound and their prospects good." Earnscleugh. —Established December, 1901. Area 1,270 acres, there being thirteen holdings, over 1,239 acres, at £173 10s. Bd. per annum, inclusive of three miscellaneous licenses, over 17 acres 1 rood 4 perches, at £3 7s. 2d. per annum, and two pastoral homestead areas, of 954 acres, at £121 13s. per annum. Houses, 8 ; population, 50. Sheep, nil; cattle, 41 ; horses, 14 ; pigs, 11. Area in new grass, nil ; in white crop, 4 acres ; green crop, nil; native grass, &c, 891 acres. Value of improvements, £2,195 10s. The Ranger reports as follows : " This settlement has made fair progress during the past year. The various holdings are gradually' being planted in fruit-trees, and on such placei progress is not so marked as on agricultural areas. Each settler is doing a little every year in the way of planting, and during the past year a fair amount of fruit was forwarded to market. A steady watersupply for irrigation is indispensable, and so far the keen competition between miners and settlers for the available water-supply has resulted in the Earnscleugh settlers suffering to some extent through shortage of water. If the position of the water-right were decided in favour of the settlers, sufficient water would be available even in very dry seasons, but until the position of the right is definitely fixed there will always be more more or less friction and dissatisfaction. Beyond the water trouble the settlers have no grievances, and their position is fairly sound. The settlement conditions have been well complied with." Windsor Park. —Established May, 1902. Area, 3,822 acres. The holdings number thirty-seven, with an area of 3,799 acres, at an annual rental of £1,641 3s. There are twenty-three houses, the population being seventy-nine. Sheep, 2,235; cattle, 304; horses, 110; pigs, 55. Area in new grass, 286 acres ; in white crop, 768 acres ; green crop, 353 acres ; native grass, &c, 199 acres. Value of improvements, £5,660. (See Ranger's remarks under Windsor Park No. 2.) Windsor Park No. 2. —Established October, 1902. Area, 2,180 acres, there being ten holdings, over 2,178 acres, at £875 16s. Bd. per annum. Houses, 8 ; population, 40. Sheep, 992 ; cattle, 217 ; horses, 40 ; pigs, 21. Area in new grass, 13 acres ; in white crop, 449 acres ; green crop, 176 acres ; native grass, &c, 315 acres. Value of improvements, £2,672 6s. 3d. The Ranger reports on th 3 two Windsor Park Settlements as follows : " These two settlements are in a satisfactory position. The settlers have suffered more or less from drought during the last two years, but the fine rains recently experienced have enabled them to make a good recovery. Dairying and wool-growing, according to the size of the sections, occupy the time of the settlers. Although it will take some little time to recover fully from the effects of the drought, the settlers on the whole are in a fairly prosperous state and well satisfied with their prospects " Duncan. —Established December, 1902. Area, 634 acres. Holdings, 7, over 632 acres, at £238 Is. 2d. per annum, including one miscellaneous (coal) lease, over 1 acre 1 rood 16 perches, at £10 yearly. Houses, 4 ; population, 11. Sheep, nil; cattle, 43 ; horses, 11; pigs, 4. Area in new grass, 50 acres ; in white crop, 76 acres ; green crop, 8 acres ; native grass, &c., 112 acres. Value of improvements, £1,055. The Ranger states as follows : " This settlement has not made any progress during the past year. The dry season was against it, and the grass and crops were not at all good. The land was in a bad state at selection. It had apparently been heavily and continuously cropped, and weeds of all sorts had obtained a strong hold. If the settlers once had their farms well cultivated and laid down in grass, they would probably make it a success, seeing that there is a dairy factory on the ground. That, however, will take a few years of persevering labour. They are somewhat despondent now on account of the inferior yields and poor grass of last season, and their prospects are not by any means bright. The settlement conditions have been fairly well complied with.'" St. Helen's. —Established June, 1903. Area, 548 acres, all occupied, in three holdings, at £224 lis. per annum. Houses, 3 ; population, 8. Sheep, 122 ; cattle, 41; horses, 17 ; pigs, 9. Area in new