a—B.

1895. NEW ZEALAND.

BLIND RIVER ESTATE (REPORTS OF OFFICERS ON WHICH THE MINISTER ADVISED THE GOVERNOR TO ISSUE HIS WARRANT FOR THE PURCHASE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE OFFER OF THE).

Laid 071 the Table by Leave of the House.

[Extract.] "The Land fob Settlements Act, 1892." The Blind River Estate is very similar to the best of Starboro', and may be divided as follows :— Acres. Flats along Blind River, about ... ... ... ... ... 700 Downs practically level ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,500 Downs not level, but ploughable ... ... ... ... ... 1,400 Downs not ploughable ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,000 4,600 Acres. Agricultural land on Blind River ... ... .. ... ... 3,600 Pastoral ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,000 4,600 Sidney Weetman, Blenheim, 2nd September, 1893. Chief Surveyor. Telegram re Blind River Estate. Blenheim, 29th September, 1893. The pastoral land is quite suitable to be cut up with some of the more level land into 320-acre farms. The highest point on the estate is only 352 ft. above the sea. Sidney Weetman, The Surveyor-General, Wellington. Chief Surveyor, Blenheim.

Report on Property offered by C. Y. Bell, situated at Awatebe, Mablboeough Land District. The land offered consists of Sections Nos. 89, 90, 91, 94 to 101, 15, 16, 17, and 1 of Block V., Clifford Bay District. 1. General position and distance of land with respect to nearest township and to county town ; distance from railway or main road. —In Lower Awatere District, twenty-two miles from Blenheim, or, say, sixteen miles via Redwood Pass Road, now being opened. Blenheim is the nearest township ; railway is distant about fourteen miles. Main South Road lies along part of the property. (See General Remarks.) 2. Brief description of district, whether agricultural or pastoral. Nature of industries, if any. — Awatere District is mainly pastoral; agriculture is rapidly spreading into it. Raising of stock forms the chief industry ; the tilled portions give good grain crops. 3. General description of the land under offer : height above sea ; nature of soil, whether all under cultivation or pasture ; if soil worked out or not. —About 2,000 acres agricultural land of good quality ; about 2,600 acres of semi-pastoral land. Height above sea nowhere exceeds 400 ft. Soil strong loam, well grassed, native pasture, all virgin soil. 4. Improvements — fences, houses, sheep-washes, limekiln, or other improvements, <&c. — and state of repair.— Sole improvement consists of about seven miles of wire-fencing, rabbit-netted throughout, very substantial, in excellent condition. It seems to be nowhere erected on the boundary of the land, but apparently cuts off some 300 acres.