1913. NEW ZEALAND.

EAST COAST NATIVE TRUST LANDS (REPORT, BALANCE-SHEET, AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS IN RESPECT OF).

Presented In bn/h Houses nj the General Assembly in pursuance nj Section 13 (>/ the East Coast Native Trust Lauds Act, 1902.

REPORT BY THE EAST COAST COMMISSIONER. Sir,— Gisborne, 28th November, 1913. I have the honour to submit the following report of the. transactions of the Trust, together with the. balance-sheet, statement of receipts and payments, and statements of the accounts of the several blocks as at the 31st March, 1913 :— Rents and Purchase-moneys. —On account of rents £4,513 lis. has been received, and £2,335 9s. lOd. paid out to the beneficiaries, the difference being applied to liquidate old liabilities and in farming operations. Purchase-moneys amounting to £6,348 16s. have been received, and the sum of £6,203 15s. has been paid to beneficiaries. Lands sold and leased. —ln March last I offered for sale by public auction the freehold of seven sections, aggregating 30,440 acres, in the Mangatu Nos. 5 and 6 Blocks. Owing to the want of road access there was mi competition for the land. One section, comprising 1.790 acres, was afterwards sold : the others are withdrawn from sale until better road access is available. This I, in conjunction with the Mangatu No. 1 trustees, am now providing. The contract fur formation of the first section of the road giving access to the block from the Motu Township is now beinu carried out. At the same auction 1 offered the leaseholds of four sections, aggregating 8,946 acres, in the Tahora No. 2 Block. Two of the sections (4.259 acres) were taken up at the upset prices ; two are still available for lease. i^arws.—Sales of farm-produce —wool, live-stock, and frozen meat—amount to £9,411 15s. 7d., as compared with £8,467 lis. Id. for the previous year; and purchases of sheep, cattle, and horses amount to £4,141 os. 6d., as against £5,369 15s. 4d. Payments for permanent improvements—clearing, fencing, sowing, &c. —-came to £5,130 19s. 10d., as against £3.235 10s. Tlie value of live-stock on farms stands at £16.176 19s. 6d.. as against £12,312 19s. Farm profits for the year amount to £3.895 Bs. I Id. A portion of the net profits realized on farming the Paremata Block —-£428 Bs., being at the rate of 7s. an r.cre —has been paid over to the beneficiaries on account of the previous year's working, and a like sum is available for distribution on account, of the past year. The past year's working will also allow of a dividend being paid on account of Te Kopua (Maraetaha No. Id) Farm. The profits made on the other farms will be applied in reduction of liabilities incurred for permanent improvements and purchases of live-stock. I have, &c, T. A. Coleman, Blast Coast Commissioner. The Hon. the Minister of Native Affairs, Wellington.

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