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Land-purchase Officers. Tin' only purchasing-officer employed continuously throughout the past year has been Mr. W. 11. Grace. His work has been completed, and his services are therefore no longer required, and he severs his connection with the Department, after having rendered very valuable service in a wholehearted manner, for which the Department renders its thanks. Mr. W. H. Grace has submitted his report, which is printed and attached. Statement of Maori Land Settlement Account. Receipts. \i ». d. Expe.ndilitr, £ s. d. Balance in account at Ist April, Salary .. ■ .. 365 0 0 1908 .. .. .. 1,328 2 5 Administration and other expenses 467 6 2 Proportion of survey hens repaid.. 67 7 'J Purchase-moneys .. .. 615 7 1 Proportion of purchase-money on Balance at 31st March, 1909 .. 4,737 11 4 account reserves made .. 1,789 II 5 To- .. £6,185 I 7 Totals .. .. £6,185 4 7 Pi in iiasf.s (in Hand at the :ilsr March, 1908, completed during the Year. Auckland District, — a. k. p. a. b. r. Ilurukia B, Section 1 .. .. .. * .. .. 125 130 Kopuaiahi No. 1a .. .. .. .. .. 545 1 32 Makumaku No. 3a .. ..... .. .. .. 37 324 Maraeroa B :i.\ .. .. .. 947 2 37 Maraeroa A :1a .. .. .. .. .. 3,282 317 Marokopa No. 5a .. .. .. .. .. .. 178 028 Puhanga te (Jru In .. .. .. 201 0 0 5,318 2 8 Auckland District BW Purchases completed during the Year. Waitakaruru 5b No. 8 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,270 0 0 Total District .. .. 6,588 2 8 Hawke's Bay District, — Manawatu 2b South .. .. .. .. .. .. 347 1 0 Total completed during the year .. .. .. .. (i.'.):s"> 3 8 PtJBI HASE-MONEYB PAID DURING THE YEAR. £ s. d. To completion of purchases on hand, Ist April, L9OB .. .. .. .. 565 19 7 On new purchases completed .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,430 0 0 On purchases incomplete at 31st March, 1909 .. .. .. .. .. 686 17 5 Total purchase-moneys paid during the year.. .. .. 4,682 17 0 Purchase-money provided. Out of Maori Land Settlement Account.. .. .. .. .. .. 615 7 1 vote. Lands and Survey. .Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 4,067 911 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,682 17 0 Purchases on Hand incompleted at 31st March, 1909. Auckland District. Copua Is, Section 2b ; Moerangi; Puhanga-te-uru 3b ; Rangitoto A No. 3b ; Rangitoto A 18a, Section 2 ; Rangitoto A 22 ; Rangitoto-Tuhua 77f. ; Taharoa A ; Te Akau B and D ; Waitakaruru sc. About 30,000 acres will be completed out of above-mentioned blocks. APPENDIX. Sir,— Department of Lands, Kihikihi, 6th May, 1909. U, the pun has.' of Maori lands in my district, I have the honour to report as follows : — Since my last report sent you and dated 30th May, 1908, I have to state that no further purchases have been made, owing to the vote set apart for the purpose having become exhausted ; in consequence of which you advise me to close further operations, and to proceed in the Native Land Court for the cutting-out of all interests in the various blocks acquired by the Crown, with the object of having the same defined, and vested in the name of His Majesty the King. The above was done as set out in my report sent you on the 30th May last, from which it will be seen that at that date 164,403 acres were dealt with in the Native Land Court, and vested in the name of the Crown, there being only a few blocks not dealt with, the names of which I give as follows: Hurakia B; Maraeroa A No. 3; Maraeroa B No. 3 ; Rangitoto-Tuhua No. 77e ; Marokopa No. 5 ; Taharoa A ; Rangitoto A No. 22 ; Kopua No. Is, Section 2b. The interests of the Crown in the blocks have since been dealt with by the Native Land Court, and vested in the name of His Majesty.