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The sheep industry is progressive. It is an indispensable part of our national welfare. Most sheep-farmers are prosperous to-day, but many back-country farmers still face hardships. We respectfully ask that Your Excellency's Legislature and Government will act to remove these hardships. If our recommendations can be implemented, the result should be an increase in meat-production, which is most needed if New Zealand is to fulfil its contracts with the United Kingdom. So great is the need for meat there that a united national effort must be made to increase production here. In all our work we are deeply indebted to many for acts of assistance, courtesy, and of kindness. To the farmers and their wives throughout New Zealand who have received us with warm hospitality, we extend our grateful thanks. We have appreciated particularly the full and valuable assistance of the Ministers of Agriculture and of Lands and their officers. We have had the co-operation of the other State Departments and of the statutory Boards. To all who have assisted we express appreciation. To Mr. L. W. Woods, our Economist Secretary, has fallen the heavy duty of organizing our extensive tour of New Zealand. It has been a gigantic task, which he has carried out with great skill and ability. His services in collating the vast amount of evidence and assisting in the production of our report have been of a very high order, and members of the Commission accord him their very sincere thanks. We also convey our keen appreciation of the services of Mr. J. M. Macdonald, of the Department of Lands and Survey ; Mr. S. H. Saxby and Mr. J. E. Duncan, both of the Department of Agriculture, who were seconded to us as Technical Associates and who have ably assisted us in their respective subjects. We would like to record our appreciation of the work of the clerical staff which has assisted us. The evidence has been most capably recorded. This was in the hands of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Conway and Mr. W. S. Saville during the early part of 1948, and later of Miss M. Trimble, Miss H. Cooper, and Miss S. Child. All of these reporters have rendered invaluable assistance. We would particularly commend the work of Miss Trimble, who has supervised the typing and lay-out of our final report in a most creditable manner. The paragraphing, checking, and indexing is the work of our Assistant Secretary, Mr. A. A. Ross. The farming maps are the work of Mr. M. W. Averis, of the Department of Agriculture, while the maps of sheep industry wards and Rabbit Board areas were drawn by the Head Office staff of the Department of Lands and Survey. We would also record the splendid assistance of our drivers, all officers of the Post and Telegraph Department, who have throughout shown outstanding driving skill in negotiating the difficult country we have had to traverse. Our many requirements while travelling were attended to by our clerk, Mr. N. T. Weeks, whose pleasing courtesy and attention has made our ta.sk much lighter. This is the unanimous report of Your Excellency's Commission. Whereunto we have set our hand : Ronald Hugh White, Chairman. Richard Eddy, Member. Linton Charrington Gardiner, Member. Wallace Fletcher Metcalfe, Member. Willis Alan Scaife, Member. Harold Wilfred Youren, Member. Signed at Wellington, this 31st day of March, 1949. Lloyd Wilfred Woods, Economist Secretary to the Commission.