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Land for Closer Settlement.—During the year a very fine piece of land in the Kaikoura district was purchased for closer settlement from Mr. Samuel Andrew. This estate will be known as " Fernleigh Settlement," and is now being subdivided into dairy farms, and will shortly be offered at prices that should ensure the success of the settlement. The roading of the Clarence Valley is now being pushed on by the Public Works Department, and it is expected that quite a number of contracts will be let this winter. This work should be kept steadily moving with the object of settling the valley as soon as practicable access is available. In conclusion, I wish to thank a very keen and efficient staff for the attention they have given their duties during the year. WESTLAND. (W. T. Morpeth, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Conditions and Progress of Settlement.—Weather conditions in Westland for the year ending 31st of March, 1925, have been favourable to farming operations. The rainfall for Hokitika was 133-58 in. and there were 2,024 hours of sunshine. The average rainfall may be put down at 120 in. and the average sunshine at 2,000 hours. The rainfall is thus 13 in. and the sunshine twenty-three hours above the average. The winter was mild, and there was an average spring, with the result that green and white crops are very good, and there is an abundance both of grass and winter feed. It is to be regretted that the Waitaha Dairy Factor}' has ceased operations, the local cream being now sent to the Central Factory in Hokitika, forty miles distant. It is an instance of the growing vogue of motor-lorry traction that the company should collect supplies so far awav from headquarters. At the same time it seems strange that the settlers shrndd not prefer to have the factory in their midst and on the spot. There has been an advance of from 3s. to ss. a hundred for ox beef on last year's prices, but none on heifer or cow beef. Prime ox brought up to 405., medium ox from 255. to 355., prime heifer from 275. 6d. to 355., medium heifer from 255. to 305., and cow beef from 15s. to 325. 6d. a hundred. Yealers and runners made exceptionally good prices for the year, in many cases up to 325. 6d. a hundred. The average would be about 255. One feature of the year's entries was the exceptional number of fat cows yarded, which is regarded as an indication of several farmers going out of dairying. There has been a very firm market for sheep. Only in a few cases farmers have increased their stock holdings for mutton purposes. The lamb increase was absorbed by the freezingworks in Christchurch, and for the first time in the history of the West Coast growers sold lamb at per pound in the paddock, in many cases receiving up to 12|-d. In the local yards wether mutton made up to B|d. per pound weight, and very little, if any, brought less than 6jd. per pound for the whole year. Ewe mutton ranged in price from 5Jd. to 6|d. per pound. Lambs in open market did not fetch prices equal to those received from buyers for freezing purposes. Lim,e-worhs.—The lime-works at Ross and Kokatahi are still in active operation. It is satisfactory to note that many farmers have discovered that top-dressing by lime, &c., will produce better results in this district than heavy cultivation. The Ross Company has had a hard struggle to keep going, but a policy of careful management, energy, and economy has been inaugurated, and under the present management the success of the company should be assured. Timber.—The total output of sawn timber from all mills operating in Westland for the year was 73.137.940 superficial feet, being an increase of 8,213,910 superficial feet over the previous year, and a record for any one year. The market towards the end of the year, however, was somewhat dull, as the following summary of the quarterly returns will show : Quarter ending 30th June, 1924, 18,006,138 sup. ft. ; quarter ending 30th September, 1924, 20,001,000 sup. ft. ; quarter ending 31st December, 1924, 19,406,100 sup. ft. ; quarter ending 31st March, 1925, 15,724,700 sup. ft. The timber comprised 50,822,184 ft. of riinu, 21,828,957 ft. of kahikatea, 280,397 ft. of Fagus fusca, 96,000 ft. of silver-pine, 70,300 ft. of totara, and 40,100 ft. of matai. Of this output 37,031,856 ft. were cut from Crown lands, 22,667,200 ft. from private land, and 13,438,882 ft. from State forest. The quantity of timber exported beyond New Zealand during the year was 21,495,942 sup. ft., comprising the following: Kahikatea, 16,828,957 sup. ft.; rimu, 4,533,586 sup. ft. ; Fagns fusca, 133,399 sup. ft. This return shows a decrease of 2,074,815 sup. ft. in comparison with previous year's return. In addition to the above quantity exported from Westland there were 2,749,712 sup. ft. from the Nelson District exported to Australia via G-reymouth. The return from the Nelson District shows an increase of 907,473 sup. ft. over the previous year's return. The timber exported to Australia was classed as follows: 15 per cent, clean 0.P., 60 per cent, rough 0.8., 25 per cenl. "shorts." There is a steady demand for rimu in Australia, more so than in the Dominion. There is no doubt at all that the opening of the Otira Tunnel stimulated the industry. During the year 13.033.941 sup. ft. passed through the tunnel. Present prices of timber per 100 sup. ft., Greymouth, are as follows, subject to trade and cash discounts : Rimu, clean heart, 38s. to 41s. ; dressing quality heart, 295. 6d. to 325. ; building heart, 21s. 6d. to 235. ; clean 0.8., 255. to 265. 6d.; dressing quality 0.8., 21s. 6d. to 225. 6d. ; 0.8., 14s. 6d. to 15s. 6d. ; kahikatea firsts, 255. ; kahikatea seconds, 15s. 6d. Four new mills started cutting during the year, while three were closed and one burnt, making eighty-two mills now in operation. Gold-dredging.— There has been a notable revival of gold-dredging in the district during the year. Probably encouraged by the success of the American dredge operating at Rimu Flat, mining experts from Auckland and Dunedin have made application for prospectirig-areas in south Westland and the Hohonu district. These have been granted, and in one case a dredge is being erected. Other local

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