D.—l.

Newman's Block— The erection of eight cottages, eight milking-sheds, and five pigsties, which commenced in the previous year, was completed. Eight miles of fencing was done, and a substantial amount of fern-clearing, logging, and cultivating was carried out. Mata North Block (Souminen and McKenzie's).—Nine miles of fencing and a small amount of clearing were carried out. Four farm cottages and five milking-sheds were erected. Roading is in hand as part of the development-work, and is included in roads report. Gun's Block. —The greater part of work consists of roading access, described in roads report. Seventy-four chains of fencing and some clearing and cultivation work were carried out, and one cottage was erected, one renovated, and two milking-sheds erected. Tutamoe Small-farm Scheme. —Here land-clearing work is being done on lands in consideration of areas surrendered to the Crown for small-farm purposes ; 679 acres heavily encumbered with timber have been logged up, 562 acres have been surface-spaded, and 548 acres of scrub-cutting done. Auckland District. Church Mission Block.—Development-work, which is still in hand, comprised during the year the following items : Six farm cottages, eight milking-sheds, 333 acres laid down in grass, and 9 miles of boundary and internal fencing. Lots 1 and 2 of Section 10, Block XII, Pirongia Survey District— Work for the year comprised 150 acres stumped and cleared, 141 acres ploughed and grassed, 44 chains of drain excavation, clearing 160 chains of fence-line, and erection of one store-shed. Sections 7, 8, and 10, Block 111, Wharepapa Survey District. —Practically the whole of the work to be done on this block has been completed and comprises the erection of 240 chains of fencing, 72 acres clearing scrub, &c., and the treatment of 41 acres of ragwort. Section 8, Block VII, Wharepapa Survey District. —The following work has been carried out on this property during the year : acres of heavy stumping, 10 acres manuka and light-bush clearing, 15 acres ploughed and sown in turnips, and 90 chains of boundary fences have been reconditioned. Ellicott's Block, Blocks V, VI, and IX, Maungatautari Survey District. —Good progress has been made with the development of this property —452 acres have been cleared of scrub and fern, 243 acres ploughed and sown in grass, 260 chains farm tracks formed 6 ft. to 10 ft. wide. In addition, a considerable amount of new fencing has been erected, existing fences reconditioned, drains excavated, and ragwort areas treated with sodium chlorate. Block XVI, Waihou Survey District (Mrs. Simmond's Property) .—The clearing and improving of this property was completed during the year, 109 acres having been cleared, stumped, burnt, and ploughed, 250 chains drains excavated, one 41 ft. span bridge constructed, and 25 chains of fencing crcctcd Section 12, Block X, Mangaorongo Survey District (Cruickshank's Property).—Good progress has been made with the development of this property, which includes the clearing of fence-line and erecting 300 chains fencing, 80 acres scrub-clearing, 70 acres ragwort treated, 42 acres top-dressed. In addition, a water-supply, including engine and pump, was installed, and one farm cottage was erected. Section 13, Block X, .Mangaorongo Survey District (C. W. Larsens) .—The work on this property was commenced this year, and to date 165 acres of ragwort have been treated, 27J acres stumped and cleared, 12 acres ploughed and grassed, 3 acres sown in swedes, 80 acres harrowed and top-dressed, 287 chains of fencing erected, and two small farm cottages erected. Late R. P. Hill's Property, Block IV, Orahiri Survey District— During the period work was commenced on this property, and the following improvements were carried out up to the end of the year : 74 acres scrub cut and burned, 85 acres ragwort treated, 30 acres ploughed and sown, 100 acres harrowed and top-dressed, and 152 chains fencing erected. In addition, extensive repairs were carried out to two existing houses, and a water-supply, with ram, was installed. Late W. L. Foss's Property, Tautari Settlement, Rotongata — The following work has been carried out on this property : 75 acres heavy scrub and 52 acres lighter scrub cleared, 30 acres ragwort cut and burned, and 38 acres ploughed. Late L. S. Langdon's Property, Rotongata.—Good progress has been made with the development of this property, the following work having been carried out during the year : 23 acres ragwort cut and burned, 56 acres heavy scrub and 80 acres lighter scrub cleared, 132 acres ploughed, and 64 acres disced. Tauranga District. Wainui South Block.—Good progress has been made with the development-work which had begun during the previous year. Work done during the year covered by this report comprised erection of seven farm cottages and seven milking-sheds, erection 435 chains of fencing, clearing 158 acres (scrub-cutting) ; ploughing, cultivating, and laying down in pasture, 157 acres. Napier District. Ahuriri Lagoon Reclamation. —The reclamation of the Ahuriri Lagoon was decided upon subsequent to the 1931 earthquake, which changed the lagoon from an excellent fishing and yachting ground into a desolate expanse of mud bank and shallow brackish water. The work, which was undertaken as one of unemployment relief and small-farm development, provides for the dewatering and draining of this area, comprising approximately 7,600 acres, and is being carried out by the Public Works Department on behalf of the bodies interested—namely, the Napier Harbour Board, the Unemployment Board, and the Small Farms Board, which will finally settle unemployed workmen and their families on the reclaimed land. The work was commenced in May of 1934, and at the end of June last the following work had been done: The tide had been excluded from the lagoon by means of a stop-bank and flood-gate at the Westshore Bridge. At the southern end of the lagoon the main gravity drain has been practically

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