13

C.—l

latter's fortunate prices for wool and lambs. These prices have tended to unsettle the dairy-farmer in some cases, but he can console himself with the fact that it is largely due to his efforts that the country is in such a prosperous condition. The sheep-farmer has had an abnormal year as far as prices are concerned, the first wool-sales of the season constituting almost a record, while prices were well maintained even at the last sale. The clip was of good weight, clean and full of lustre. Lambing percentages were well up to average. The rape crops were good, and farmers were able to get away large tallies of fat stock. The price of sheep reached boom prices, good breeding-ewes reaching as high as 435. each. This was a dangerous figure, however, as they have now receded to about 355. The cattle-market is now recovering fast from the slump, and prices are reaching a paying line. This is no doubt due to an improvement in the Home-country markets. Grain crops, chiefly autumn-sown oats, have been very heavy The wet weather in January and part of February delayed harvesting operations and discoloured the grain to some extent, but some settlers were fortunate enough to get their crops stacked without damage. Taking everything into account, the year has been one of genuine prosperity, and has shown that, with ordinary climatic conditions and good prices, the Hawke's Bay District holds a favoured position in our favoured Dominion. Land Board Work. —During the year twelve meetings of the Land Board were held. There were 700 items dealt with, as against 556 last year. The matters for discussion embraced every phase of landadministration, but a large amount of the work dealt with was in connection with the settlement of discharged soldiers. Many recommendations from the Dominion Revaluation Board were also dealt with. Mr. R. B. Ross was re-elected Crown tenants' representative on the 26th May, 192-1, but he resigned his membership later, and Mr. Cornelius John O'Reilly, of Porangahau, was selected, on the 28th August, 1924, by the Crown lessees, out of four candidates, to represent them on the Land Board. The personnel of the Land Board is otherwise unaltered. Revenue and Arrears. —The gross revenue for the year was £294, 334, which shows an increase over last year's figures of £37,765. Of the amount received, £145,215 was for credit of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account. The arrears of payments due by settlers, both soldier and civilian, have caused some anxiety to the Department and the Land Board in the past, but it is considered that, in view of the concessions granted to soldier settlers by the Dominion Revaluation Board, and also in view generally of the excellent year the tenants have had, the position in this matter will be vastly improved in the coming year. The Blackberry Menace.—The growth and spread of blackberry on lands in the northern portion of the district is a matter that requires very serious consideration. This weed is difficult and costly to deal with, and very few of the tenants can command the capital required to cope with it. On fiat or undulating land the blackberry may be successfully combated, but on the hill country the weed is very difficult to deal with. Not only does it render useless large areas of country, but it is a serious menace to the pastoralist, as sheep and lambs, constantly get hung up by it. In some of the northern portions of this district the question of the eradication of blackberry is becoming one of national importance. TARANAKI. (J. Cook, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) General. —The past year has been a good one for the farming community, and the increased wool and sheep prices have brought about a more healthy tone as regards the demand for grazing-couutry. The lessons of the slump, however, have not been lost, and a cautious view is generally adopted as regards the future price of dairy-produce and wool. Climatic conditions generally have been good. A dry spell was experienced during the summer months, but this did not seriously affect the returns of butterfat. The price of dairy stock appears to have become established at about pre-war conditions, and the accepted view is that calculations based on not more than Is. 4d. per pound for butterfat are safest from the dairying aspect. The menace of noxious weeds is always present in the lighter country used for dairying, and will constitute an increasing problem to the community as time goes on. The reductions effected by the Dominion Revaluation Board in connection with soldier settlement, and the inquiry conducted by the committee set up to report on deteriorating land, have created an air of expectancy among Crown tenants generally. The unimproved value of Crown land in parts of this district may require investigation, but every case should be considered on its merits having regard to existing mortgages and the depreciation of securities brought about by the reversion of pasture lands into second growth. A disastrous cloud-burst visited parts of Whangamomona County last April, and losses were incurred by many settlers. Low-lying fences were either buried under debris or carried away altogether. The damage to roads and tracks made movement of stock impossible in some localities for many months, the Mangare Road settlers, near Whangamomona Township, being the worst sufferers in this respect. Much of the damage to roads has since been repaired by the Public Works Department out of flooddamage votes, but the piles of logs against bridges, and the scars on the hillsides caused by numerous slips, still bear testimony to the severity of the cloud-burst. Fortunately the damage was confined to a comparatively small and well-defined area, although the general damage caused by the consequent heavy flooding of river-courses affected a much larger area of the country. There is an increasing inquiry from Crown tenants as to the possibility of severance of portion of their leases, with the object of handing back to the Crown areas not considered suitable for development. Where these rough corners adjoin existing reserves the desire may be met, but the creation of unoccupied