C.—l.

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX I. —SETTLEMENT OF CROWN LANDS.

EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF CROWN LANDS.

NORTH AUCKLAND. (W. D. Abmit, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Throughout the year weather conditions have been favourable for all classes of farming pursuits in this district. All dairy companies have shown increased output, and many are enlarging their plants for the ensuing season. Unfortunately the price for products and stock have undergone very little change and are still at a relatively low level as compared with previous seasons. The policy of consistent top-dressing has been encouraged by the Department, and endeavours have been made to overcome the difficulties of the settlers in meeting these fixed charges from a decreased monetary return. There is, however, some cause for concern over high broken grazing country, as it is impossible to top-dress and stock economically under existing conditions, with the result that there has been a tendency for these areas to be neglected. With the assistance of land-development loans substantial progress has been made in bringing in additional areas, both in respect to newly selected sections and lands which had remained undeveloped through the inability of settlers to finance the necessary improvements. Included in the lands under development is a considerable quantity of gum land, which is so far responding to systematic treatment. The expenditure of unemployment moneys on roading and other works by local bodies has provided considerable benefit in advancing settlement. The individual farmers have readily availed themselves of the benefits obtainable by way of subsidies on labour contracts, and in other cases have been enabled to continue the development of their lands instead of being compelled to seek outside employment. The difficulty of settlers in meeting their obligations continues, but generally speaking they are making strenuous efforts to adjust their farming operations to market conditions.

AUCKLAND. (K. M. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) The weather conditions during the autumn period were not conducive to good pasture growth in some parts of the district owing to the light rainfall and dry weather which continued almost to the end of the dairying season. Numbers of our settlers were therefore compelled to use hay and ensilage which had been harvested for winter use, but, nevertheless, stock generally came thiough the winter well and a good start was made at the commencement of the present season, which has been exceptionally favourable from the climatic viewpoint to all classes of farming. The uncertainty of the weather conditions in the past few seasons points to the desirability for a more extensive growing of root crops as a supplementary food for dairy stock over the winter months, and already there is evidence that the necessity for this is becoming recognized in several localities throughout the Auckland District. The economic difficulties of many settlers due to low prices of produce have continued to engage the attention of the Land Board, and all possible aid has been given them by way of postponements, remissions, and other forms of assistance to enable manure and additional stock to be purchased with a view to keeping up the standard of production, and, where possible, increasing the carrying-capacity of their holdings, as it is fully recognized that in many cases it is only by increasing production that rent and interests charges can be met. During the year 180 selectors took up an area of 36,132 acres, which included 25,922 acres selected for the first time by ninety-seven settlers. This latter area included twenty-five sections with an area of 3,421 acres in the Onepu, Te Kauwhata, Koromatua, and Mangatutu Blocks, on which development work had been carried out by the Department prior to offering. Although arrears of rent and mortgage charges are still increasing as a result of continued low prices of farm products, revenue has come in better than was expected, and receipts under all headings were actually some £2,200 in excess of the previous year's figures, indicating that a very large proportion of our settlers are making an honest attempt to meet their liabilities to the Department in spite of the financial stress. A large number of applications under the 4a and 4b Schemes have been reported on for the Unemployment Board, and this has entailed much extra work for both field and office staffs.

8