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4,400 acres in Longwood District, will also be available. The Terepa Estate, which is an educational endowment containing about 5,400 acres of open land, will be surveyed into suitable areas, and will likely be opened to application .11 as early date. With all this land to choose from the requirements of a large number of intending applicants should be satisfied. General Remarks. I have to report that the settlers are making good progress and steadily improving their holdings much above the requirements of the Land Act, the matter of road-access being their greatest want. The dry season lias μ-ivcii the opportunity of clearing, breaking up, and draining, which will help greatly in the productiveness of their holdings. 'Pen new dairy factories have been established in the district. Settlement generally is prosperous, and the Rangers report that both in agricultural and pastoral lands all are doing well. The pastoral leases put up this year by auction produced keen competition and increased rents. The administration of the portion of the Otago School Commissioners' reserves in Southland will much increase the office-work. The one Board now controlling the lands of Southland will help the subdivision of the suitable country, as when the leases fall in advantage will be taken for that purpose. With the increased work of the year the staff have dune well, the interest of the Department being their aim. TT ~ _ ° H. M. Skeet, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

APPENDIX ll.— LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS (REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS ON).

AUCKLAND. In reviewing the results, it is very satisfactory to observe that so large a proporiton of the settlements have been such an absolute success. So "many different circumstances operate in producing the final results that it could not be expected there would be the same measure of success in each of the twenty-one settlements. Opouriao, the oldest established in this district, is the object-lesson in the success of the system. Fenoourt and Matamata also stand out most prominently, followed very closely by several thai were established later. During the year Selwyn, which showed a disposition to lag, has made rapid progress, and better crops have been obtained than anticipated. There has been a large increase in stock, and fresh land put down in permanent grasses is doing well. Tautari has also shown signs of improvement, due to the energy of the settlers, and it is hoped that next year it will be possible to remove it from the doubtful list. Okauia, which has all along been one of the least successful, is now on the road to success, but there has been no improvement in Rewi. In the smaller holdings, known as hamlets, in the vicinity of Auckland City there has been great progress, all the settlements being a pronounced success. Generally speaking, the settlers under this system of tenure have shared in the prosperity which farmers as a whole are enjoying. c Smjth> Commissioner of Crown Lands.

HAWKE'S BAY. In the northern portion of the Hawke's Bay Land District there are eight settlements let under the above system — namely, Pouparae, Waimarie, Willows, Wigan, Te Arai, Kanakanaia, Ngatapa, and Clydebank. The first four are let under lease in perpetuity, while the four latter are under renewable lease. The total area of 47,855 acres is held by 176 selectors. All the sections were taken up as soon as offered for selection, and have been continuously occupied, and at present are carrying a population of 624 souls. The improvements required under the Act amount to £60,652, while the value of improvements effected (including original improvements) is .£103,895. There are only four defaulters for residence, three of these being settlers in the Clydebank Settlement, who