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Tokiri Settlement. —Practically no progress has been made on this settlement. The settlers are waiting for the new values to be fixed and the place resubdivided ; this will be done as soon as the values are determined. Waiteitei Settlement.—Very little progress has been made on this settlement. Provision has been made for winter feed for the cows. At the new valuation the settlers should now be in a much better position to pay their way, and I feel sure that they will now work with better heart than heretofore. Most of the settlement is very exposed to the cold winds ; but as this portion will, from this on, be in larger blocks and running sheep, they should do fairly well, as there is sufficient ploughable land to grow crops for winter use. The results from the cows have not been as satisfactory as I would like to see, but I am given to understand that they are now being officially tested, and all those who are not giving good results will be culled out and sold. The river-flats and hills where rata and taraire grew are all right, but the kauri-gum land is very poor and weed-infested. Streamlands Settlement. —The drains are being cleaned out and a fair amount of ground is gradually being brought in, but this is a very slow process owing to the stumps and blackberry, and it will be some years before this can possibly be put down in permanent English pastures, as the ground is still subsiding and the roots are gradually coming to the surface. The blackberries have apparently been there for years, but were not disclosed until the swamps were drained. All the settlers are milking, and provision has been made for winter feed for the stock. The values of the sections on this settlement are being reviewed. Motutara Settlement. —Good progress has been made on many of the sections, and ample provision has been made for both winter and summer feed for the stock. The crops have been fairly successful, and the stock are all looking well for this season of the year. The artesian bores are giving out a liberal supply of water for all requirements, and the stock have not now to travel to the old waterholes for their daily supply of fresh water. Stacks of well-saved hay can be seen scattered all over the settlement. The settlers have made a start to plant shelter for the cows during the winter, and this was urgently required, as Motutara is very exposed to the cold winds from, the ocean. Koremoa Settlement.—Very little progress has been made on this settlement. A start is shortly to be made to make stop-banks : this will prevent the high spring tides from doing so much damage to the pastures. The settlement will not go ahead till such time as the new subdivisions and the new valuations are definitely fixed up. Remuera Settlement.—Good progress has been made, stone has been removed, and a large area o£ ground is now under cultivation. The drains running through to Lake Omapere have been cleaned out, and the lowering of the lake has considerably improved the holdings adjoining Omapere. The settlers are all milking, and provision is being made for winter feed for the stock, and when values are finally adjusted the triers should make good. Paerata Settlement.—Good progress is still being made, and ample provision has been made for winter feed for the cows. The stock are all in good condition for this season of the "year, and, as they are all officially tested, the results have been satisfactory. Puni Settlement. —Good progress has been made on this settlement, and ample provision has been made for winter feed for the stock. The pastures have been liberally top-dressed. The newly stumped ground has been ploughed, and crops of autumn seed-potatoes planted, and the balance of the ground has been sown in swedes and temporary pastures for winter use. A fair amount of ground is ready now for temporary pastures. As soon as a fair adjustment of prices is settled I expect the real men to do quite well'. Pareokawa Settlement.—This is still in the making, and a fair amount of bush was burnt off lately. The soil on the settlement is not at all bad, and when fully improved will carry a fair amount of stock. Care will have to be taken over the stocking, otherwise the fern will come away, but with good subdivisional fences and mixed farming no difficulty will be experienced in coping with the fern. The settlers are all engaged in mixed farming, and on this class of good country should make good. Tokatoka Settlement.—Owing to the drains not acting as well as expected and other unforeseen disadvantages, coupled with one of the wettest autumns on record (1924), this country is in a sour condition. The capital values of the sections have, however, been reviewed. Upokonui Settlement.—This was a fair bit of land, and, now that the prices have been adjusted, any real triers should do all right Pakaraka Settlement. —Many years ago this area was deliberately planted in gorse by the then owner to feed sheep upon. The gorse got away badly. The late vendor, a man of means and energy, got the place into beautiful order before it was purchased by the Department. During the inevitable delay in getting the settlers on to this land the gorse began to get away again. This, added to the want of expert knowledge and sufficient finance, gradually caused the settlement to deteriorate and gorse to spread. As far as possible this deterioration has now been written down by the Department, and if the men now left only put their shoulders to the wheel at the reduced prices they should succeed. Auckland. (W. F. Mabsh, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) During the year one new settlement, the Orini Estate, was offered. It is situated on the Rangitaiki Plains, in the Bay of Plenty district, and comprises 928 acres, mostly partly reclaimed, swamp-land, which was subdivided into ten sections and opened for selection in September, 1924. It has not, however, attracted settlers, and up to date"only|one section has been taken up. A further small area, known as the Te Ngaroa Settlement, comprising 157 acres in two holdings, situated in the same part of the district, isjto be opened shortly. Including the first-named by discharged soldiers, there are fiftytwo settlements in the district,|on which there are 894 leaseholders occupying 122,954 acres, while 654 settlers, occupying 123,231 acres, have already acquired the freehold.

5—C. 2.