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from the westward. In this portion is included the 2,000 acres freehold and leasehold of Mr. Ellis, 500 of which is in grass, with several hundreds more being felled for next season. On the east side of line there are about 10,000 acres of good general country. Prom Ohura to Nihoniho, on the south side of the road the land is what would be classed as second-class pastoral, fern ridges, slopes, bush gullies, and hill-tops ; 20,000 acres on the north side is bush land, of good soil, of which 10,000 acres is pastoral and agricultural, suitable for areas from 200 to 1,000 acres. The Waikaka Eoad would open up the land to Mokau-iti. From Nihoniho to Otahu, a distance of ten miles, the land on the north side would be pastoral, with patches of agricultural. The streams that run into Waikaka have valleys with considerable areas of open fern and scrub land, the hilltops being all forest—some 60,000 acres in all; the south side of the line is second-class pastoral, requiring to be divided into large sections. There are 60,000 acres in this portion. Prom Otahu, where the pumice-covered land commences, to the Central line near Kawakawa, twelve miles: On the north side the land is bush and pastoral, and 40,000 acres would be available; on the south side 9,000 acres would drain to the line, but there is so much pumice on the land that it would require to be divided into large holdings to be of use. From Kawakawa to Poro-o-tarao the country would be classed as inferior pastoral. Groivn Lands. —On the Ngaire line the Crown has acquired from the Natives —Taumatamahoe Block, 114,597 acres; Maraekowhai Block, 22,529 acre's; Ohura South Block, 72,665 acres; West Taurangi Blocks, &c, 104,639 acres; part of Mohakatino Block, 15,000 acres; Whitianga Block, 14,808 acres: total, 344,238 acres. The nature of the timber in the heaviest forest land about the Wangamomona, Waingarara, Upper Waitara, Tangarakau, Heao, Mangaroa, and north side of Ohura is rimu, kahikatea, black-birch, matai, and patches of totara, and would be available. Waitara Line. Starts from the railway-station, Waitara. To Mimi, fourteen miles, is close to the coast through a closely settled district of first-class agricultural land, divided into small holdings. Mimi to Uruti is up the Mimi Valley for seven miles and a half through what was forest country, but now well improved. This portion is held in larger holdings. Dp Druti to Moki Eoad, two miles and a half, rich alluvial flats and good hills. Moki Eoad to Moki Stream, a distance of five miles, the line passes over a rough piece of country; pastoral land. Down the Moki for two miles to the Waitara there is a good piece of mixed agricultural and pastoral land. Up Waitara the line should keep to the valley as far as the Waingarara saddle, instead of over two ridges with long tunnels via , Makarakia and back to Waitara. A saving of several miles would be effected. There is now a road located up the Waitara Valley, which shows its suitability for a railway-line. From Moki to Waitara, below the Waingarara saddle, a distance of eleven miles, it is good pastoral land. From Waitara to junction with the Ngaire line in the Waingarara there is a good patch of mixed agricultural and pastoral country, a length of five miles. The amount of available land that the line would open up is as follows: The open part from Waitara Station to Mimi, 22,000 acres, with another 78,000 that the inland roads bring in. From Mimi to Moki, 80,000 acres of mixed agricultural and good pastoral country would be rendered accessible. This portion is capable of being subdivided into moderate-sized sections. Prom Moki to Waingarara, the railway would affect 75,000 acres. The piece at the head of the Waitara, about 10,000 acres, is general agricultural country ; the balance good pastoral, requiring to be in larger sections. Timber in the Waitara and its tributaries would be a considerable source of revenue. On the hillsides there is some very fine rimu and kahikatea ; totara is not plentiful. The roading about the Waitara country would be heavy in many places. Awakino Line. Starting from Waitara, this line will follow the Waitara line to Uruti, twenty-four miles. From Uruti the line follows up Mimi to the ridge dividing the Tongaporutu waters, a distance of five miles. Through the Lepperton Special Settlement it is bush land in course of improvement ; generally agricultural and pastoral. From the saddle to Tongaporutu the line would be through broken country for two miles, then down the Tongaporutu Valley for four miles to the heads. This is through improved-farm-settlement blocks, agricultural and pastoral land. From Tongaporutu Village to Mokau, a distance of eight miles, the line would run through a narrow strip of land that lies between the hills and the coast, not more than half a mile wide ; all good land, and occupied by settlers and Natives. From Mokau it is a question whether the line should follow the coast further to the Awakino Eiver or take up the Mokau Valley for seven miles, then cross a narrow ridge to the upper part of Awakino. It would pass through good pastoral land, with occasional flats on the bends, and good timber and limestone. From Mokau over the narrow ridge to Awakino for several miles the land would be broken, good pastoral. Mokau to Awakino by the coast, four miles along a narrow strip between hills and coast. The first two miles of Awakino is good land, then the valley narrows in, and for five miles the land available would be little. Onwards to Mahoenui the valley widens out with good flats and terraces, distance about seven miles through good rich land, mostly limestone on north side of line, The land is occupied in holdings of 700 to 2,000 acres, greatly improved, some of the settlers having 1,200 acres cleared and in grass. From Mahoenui the line crosses over a long ridge to Totoro, on the Mokau Eiver. The country is fern, scrub, and light bush land, distance five miles, pastoral and agricultural land. From Totoro the line follows down a bend of the Mokau, then up a good valley and over a low saddle to the Mokau-iti, length some seven miles, through open land, with a strip of bush at the main ridge, streams swampy, good general country, agricultural and pastoral, limestone formation. From Mokau-iti the line continues through open country to Mokau, length two miles, rich flats near streams,