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us also that the statistics collected must bear a direct relation to the problems for which they will be required. Having regard to the work which we are recommending, including the plan for the steady development of 250,000 acres every year, we consider the following information should be collected and published in the return of sheepowners (1) Total sheep. (2) Breeding ewes. (3) Breed of ewes. (4) Breed of ram used. (5) Total cattle. (6) Breeding cows. (7) Total area. (8) Area under scrub. (9) Area of unimproved grasses. (10) Area of improved grasses : (a) surface sown ; (6) ploughed pastures. (11) Area topdressed. (12) Total weight of topdressing applied. Note. —Improved and unimproved grasses should be distinguished as follows. Improved : Cocksfoot, rye-grass, paspalum, and clover pastures. Unimproved : Danthonia, brown-top or native grass pastures. The return of sheepowners is at present published as one large volume at an almost prohibitive price. We consider that it would be more practicable to publish a separate return for each of the eight suggested wards for the Sheep Industry Board. It is most essential that production of this return be kept up to date and in all cases it should be published by 31st December in each year for which it gives the statistics. To effect this it may be preferable to have it cyclostyled in the district offices of the Department of Agriculture if it proves impossible to have it printed by 31st December. 20. AIR STRIPS IN BACK COUNTRY While not recommending that permanent air strips should be set aside, we would like to draw the attention of the authorities to the desirability of designating emergency air strips in the back country. Care should be exercised by farmers to ensure that paddocks designated as emergency air strips are left without obstructions. 21. KILLING OF COWS DURING DROUGHTS We view with some concern the practice of sending breeding-cows to the works to be killed during periods of severe drought in any area. These breeding-cows are an essential capital asset of hill country, and the slaughtering of these cows is a minor disaster. We consider that every encouragement should be given to the possibility of transferring them to another district by special transport arrangements organized by the Department of Agriculture rather than to allow them to be slaughtered. 22. TRANSPORT Transport is a vital factor in the production of the sheep industry. Some years ago the licensing and zoning system was introduced to stop uneconomic competition. At the present time, however, we consider there has arisen a great danger of monopolies being established, with consequent evils.