G.—lo.

on all parts of the scheme except Herupara No. 1, and was the main unemployment relief measure provided for Maoris of the Waiapu Yalley and Te Araroa. The following table shows the bush-felling contracts let to unemployed Maoris, and the cost allowing for unemployment subsidies : —

Bush-felling Unemployment Relief Contracts.

There was no expenditure on this scheme up to the 31st March, 1931, as it was not authorized till the following April, but matters were in train to survey the bush into reasonable areas, so as to ensure the employment of the largest possible number of men. The expenditure to the 31st March, 1932, was £7,674, reduced by £525 unemployment subsidies, which came to credit. The foiled bush was burnt in the summer and sown in grass and turnips immediately, according to the practice of farmers in the district. A good " take " was assured by timely rains, and it was anticipated that the clearings would carry a very large number of sheep and cattle in the following winter. Liabilities outstanding on the Toetoe and Kaiwaru Blocks to the Bank of New South Wales, amounting to £2,210, were discharged. Other items of expenditure were as follows : Bush-felling, £2,116; fencing material, £1,468 ; grass-seed, £1,519 ; turnip-seed, £93 ; surveys, £125 ; and sundries, £143. Subject to the supervision of the Registrar of the Native Land Court at Gisborne, the arrangements for all the work on this scheme were made by Mr. C. Goldsmith, of Tikitiki, who was in charge of the consolidation scheme affecting the lands north of the Waiapu River as far as Whangaparaoa, and as Manager of the Waiapu Farmers' Co-operative Co. had considerable experience in regard to the requirements of land-development in the district. He had been co-opted by the Maori Unemployment Branch of the Native Department. The following table has been prepared from reports furnished by Mr. Goldsmith to show the state of the lands under the Waiapu-Matakaoa scheme as at the 31st March, 1932

State of Improvements at 31st March, 1932.

It was estimated that these properties could be subdivided into seven sheep farms and nine dairy farms. (c) Poroporo (including Whenuakura). When, as the result of the Waiapu and Tuparoa consolidation schemes, the interests acquired by the Crown in the Poroporo Block were divided from the interests of the Maori non-sellers, it was decided in the first place to deal with that part of the block which lay between the main road and the Mangaoparo and Waiapu rivers, being all flat land, with a small swamp on it, very suitable for dairying. This part is known as Whenuakura, and has been subdivided by the Court into ten sections, some of which include portions of the swamp referred to. Although this part was brought under the development scheme in January, 1930, for the purpose of draining the swamp that summer nothing was done until the end of 1931. The balance of the Poroporo Subdivisions on the north-west of the main road was brought under the development scheme in April, 1930. This consisted for the most part of bush lands with fern and manuka faces sloping to tbe main road. Eventually the Whenuakura and bush sections

44

Block. Area. Per Acre. Cost. Subsidy. Men. Acres. @ £ s. d £ s. d. Tapatu .. .. .. 423 £1 2s. 6d. and 570 7 6 125 0 0 10 £1 7s. 6d. Toetoe .. .. .. 587 £1 5s. 733 15 0 200 0 0 17 Aliapo" 111 " " " 22o} £1 4s ' 375 12 0 HO 0 0 16 Poroporo Sections .. .. 354 £1 4s. and 437 10 0 110 0 0 10 £1 5s. Total .. .. 1,677 .. 2,117 4 6 545 0 0 53

i Block. Old Pasture. New Pasture. Unimproved. Old Fencing.jNew Fencing Suitable for Acres. Acres. Acres. Chains. Chains. Tapatu .. .. .. 210 423 62 84 205 Sheep. Toetoe .. .. .. 256 587 287 30 435 Mixed. Kaiwaru .. .. .. 700 .. 1,106 180 .. Sheep. ;; ;; } eso 313 72 no use Mixed. Poroporo Sections .. .. 407 393 30 295 419 Sheep. Total .. .. 2,203 1,716 1,557 729 1,245 I