C.—l.

SOUTHLAND. (T. Cagney, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Favoured by climatic conditions, Southland experienced one of its best production years. The particularly mild winter, with little snow in the back country, resulted in high lambing percentages being obtained, i:>erhaps the best for many years. Feed held well throughout a somewhat dry summer and lambs fattened early and reached the markets in prime condition. Due to the dry summer, feed was somewhat short for dairy herds towards the latter part, but, on the Whole, the usual output of dairy-produce was substantially maintained, if not increased. Seed and grain crops were grown and harvested under excellent conditions. Root crops were, however, somewhat patchy, and growth was to some extent retarded by attacks of blight, encouraged probably by the unusually dry climatic conditions. The introduction of linen-flax growing opened up a new avenue for farming in Southland, and reports to hand indicate that good yields were obtained, notwithstanding the dry summer. Towards the close of the period some beneficial rain was experienced, and there should be no shortage of stock feed for the coming winter.

Table 1. —Return showing (approximately) Position of Lands in the Dominion at 31st March, 1941.

39

Total Area Land unfit for Total Area Total Area , A ota * A^ ea . Settlement T ,^ rlrt sold or granted reserved for 'eased under Grown Lands Total Area (including Total Area District. and held on Public all Tenures available lor of Area occupied m Land Freehold Piirnofces (exclusive of Suture Native Land.* by Rivers, District, ireenoia. purposes. Reserves leased Disposal. Lakes, Roads. by Crown). <fcc.). Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. North Auckland .. 2,663,167 469,448 484,038 129,513 514,606 217,428 4,478,200 Auckland .. .. 2,888,617 1,288,312 730,902 544,072 1,634,663 1,134,008 18,220,574 Gisborne .. .. 1,152,960 487,045 507,871 278,155 834,423 255,472 3,515,926 Hawko'e Bay .. .. 1,600,120 279,824 470,867 56,707 371,222 139,146 2,917,886 Taranaki .. .. 1,134,216 353,630 571,340 91,925 165,697 87,623 2,404,431 Wellington J .. .. 3,561,230 1,067,885 749,814 5,407 786,024 880,709 7,051,069 Nelson .. .. 668,892 2,533,146 596,167 219,488 30,051 667,256 4,715,000 Marlborough .. .. 785,157 359,340 1,261,504 231,425 22,292 108,282 2,768,000 Westland .. .. 177,207 2,317,783 537,448 349,587 12,281 469,072 3,863,378 Canterbury .. .. 3,554,593 1,621,840 3,808,013 31,068 15,089 448,177 9,478,780 otago .. .. 1,984,971 932,703 5,436,801 16,184 25,000 612,118 9,007,777 Southland .. .. 1,870,274 4,443,134 1,363,257 36,729 126,776 129,356 7,969,526 Totals .. 22,041,404 16,154,090 16,518,022 1,990,260 4,538,124 5,148,647 66,390,547 * Includes certain areas alienated by sale to Europeans. t Increase of 1 acre revealed by rewurvey. i Includes Chatham Islands.