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The whole question is shortly to be examined by a Royal Commission, and until the report is furnished it is not expected that the revenue from rates will recover. Rates over the Kaitaia Swamp area will in all probability be levied in the coming year. Draughting Staff.- This staff has been kept busily employed during the year on general plan work, computations, general searching, and the supply of survey data. In addition considerable work was done in the preparation of Proclamation plans, and all other matters incidental to the proclamation of land transactions under the various statutes. On the engineering side the staff has spent considerable time on checking various designs and on the designing of spillways, flood-gates, drains, &c. The lithograph maps of the various districts have been kept up to date. Considerable work has been done on the photostat, approximately 3,400 prints having been made during the year.

APPENDIX IV.—SAND-DUNE RECLAMATION. For some years past the Department has been carrying on operations in connection with sanddune reclamations in the North Auckland District. These operations have from the commencement been under the direction of Mr. Stafford, who is responsible to the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The expenditure is authorized by the Department, but the funds are provided out of the Public Works Fund. The problem of these dune areas is a difficult one ; but much good work, though of course principally of an experimental nature, has been accomplished, and Mr. Stafford has carried out his work enthusiastically and on sound and practical lines. The method chiefly adopted is to plant marram-grass in a manner best calculated to enable it to spread itself, so as to get the most possible advantage at the least possible cost. Then later on comes the lupin-seed planting under the protection of the established marram-grass, and subsequently the planting of trees and grasses in the most suitable places. Unfortunately, for reasons of economy, the tree nurseries that had been establishedjhave had to be closed, and all the locally raised trees have been planted out. The great troubles have been the ever-present risk of fire, and a great deal of stock trespass. It is impossible with the means at the disposal of the Department to exercise any complete degree of control over the extensive areas being dealt with, and, unfortunately, the periodical firing of the vegetation of the coastal-dune areas has proved a severe handicap. In the opinion of the Commissioner of Crown Lands the plantations that have been established at Waipu seem to prove conclusively that the dunes can be satisfactorily held, though it is much easier to effect this on the east coast than on the west, where the prevailing winds are so much stronger and last longer. The Department, however, is unable to undertake tree-planting on any .large scale, as to do so would, involve a heavy expenditure and the employment of rangers to control the planted areas. The State Forest Service has been carrying out experimental dune work at the Rangitikei Heads, and it would appear advisable that all operations of this nature under the direction of the Government should be conducted on the same basis. With this end in view, and having regard to the apparent desirability of afforestation over large areas of the North Auckland dunes, a closer co-operation is being sought with the State Forest Service, and when (lie matter has been fully discussed the question as to whether the work now being done should be continued, and, if so, on what lines, will be submitted or consideration.

Table 1.—Return showing (approximately) Position of Lands in the Dominion at 31st March, 1925.

Total Area of Land unfit r,, , , . A™n Crown Lands Total Area of for Settlement sold m mSSkd reserved leased under Crown Lands Total Area (including Total Area District. | fnr Pnhiin all Tenures available of Area occupied in Land (exclusive of for future Native Land. by Rivers, District. I'reenoia. i urposes. Reserves leased Disposal. Lakes, Iloads, by Crown). &c). Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. North Auckland .. 2,466;664 428,898 465,784 294,100 606,426 217,428 4,478,200 .Auckland .. 2,510,285 772,947 1,063,582 1,107,058 2,157,255 609,446 8,220,573 Gisborne .. .. 1,118,145 424,182 518,365 136,096 1,068,898 253,805 3,519,491 Hawke's Bay .. .. 1,530,570 200,144 578,989 123,560 398,638 82,420 2,914,321 Taranaki .. 1,107,541 336,581 579,753 115,983 195,817 68,756 2,404,431 Wellington* .. .. 3,378,306 999,633 749,946 265,681 1,424,908 232,595 7,051,069 Nelson .. . . 632,594 2,292,914 862,299 270,654 30,629 625,910 4,715,000 Marlborough .. .. 785,003 354,031 1,534,139 10,805 .. 84,022 2,768,000 Westland .. .. 157,277 2,022,909 806,513 407,451 .. 469,228 3,863,378 Canterbury .. .. 3,575,039 1,397,924 4.012,836 9,788 .. 482,843 9,478,430 Otago .. .. 1,970,673 951,729 5,503,801 16,021 .. 651,898 9,094,122 Southland .. .. 1,836,663 4,243,289 1,550,485 168,213 .. 84,597 7,883,247 Totals .. 21,068,660 14,425,181 18,226,492 2,925,410 5,881,571 3,862,948 66,390,262 * Includes Chatham Islands.