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Avoca Special Settlement. —Area, 2,303 acres and 22 perches, held by twenty-three selectors, of which fifteen are resident, who, with their families, number sixty-six souls. The stock consists of 416 cattle. Total value of improvements effected, £4,466 4s. The settlers on this settlement are all doing very well. The creamery which is in course of erection will improve matters and tend to give better returns than present surroundings afford. Auckland Special Settlement. —Only one settler remaining on the land, and he has fully complied with the conditions. Marlborough Special Settlement. —The settlers remaining on this settlement number twelve, of which eight are resident, who, with their families, number forty-four persons. The area under grass is 494 acres, carrying 150 cattle. The total value of improvements is £2,711 15s. The prospect of this settlement is now more promising, as the main road has been greatly improved, giving settlers better opportunity to get their stock to market. Papamoa Special Settlement No. I. —Area, 1,200 acres. Number of selections, 12; occupied, 12. Number of population, 22 ; number of houses, 6. Value of improvements effected, £2,944. Papamoa Special Settlement No. 2.— Area, 2,290 acres. Number of selections, 14; number occupied, 10 (4 forfeited). Number of population, 24 ; number of houses, 9. Value of improvements effected, £2,215. Land in both settlements fairly good, lower-lying portion of No. 1 is first-class land. Both settlements more than six years in occupation. Improvement conditions complied with on the occupied sections, but settlements have not progressed as originally expected. Dairy factory required to give a proper start. Selections rather broken, only adapted for grazing ; arable area limited, but good. Both these settlements should have done better, and will do so in the near future when dairy-farming is initiated and more people on the land. Improved-farm Settlements. Te Rau-a-moa. —Acreage, 1,410 acres; divided into ten sections occupied by thirty-nine persons. Number of houses, 10. Value of improvements effected, £2,236 9s. The stock comprises 240 sheep, 35 horses, and 206 cattle. Settlement now over seven years in occupation, and has advanced considerably during the last year, and all conditions of tenure complied with, and improvements fairly extensive. Land is really good heavy bush land, with climate moist; this interferes with grassing, as a second burn is required, yet after this a really good pasture is obtained. Grazing, together with occasional road-work, has hitherto been the principal resource of the place ; but now settlers are about to start a dairy factory (contract now let), so the success of this settlement may be considered assured, and the selectors will reap the benefit of their perseverance and industry. Paemako. —Area, 1,412 acres ; divided into thirteen sections, but only eleven are now held. With the exception of one, all are residing ; the population is thirty-eight souls. The stock comprises 174 cattle and 37 horses. Total value of improvements effected, £1,175 19s. This settlement now nearly seven years in occupation; progressing, but slowly; quality of land only medium ; market distant; timber very scarce. Improvements for six years required. Last season these conditions complied with, one case excepted; but no improvements on settlement are either extensive or very substantial. Selectors on this settlement depend principally on occasional road-work, together with running a few cattle, for means of livelihood. Outlook at present not very promising. Establishment of a creamery within reach of settlers would offer inducement to break up some of the better land. Closer settlement and dairying or other industry wanted to put this country in a satisfactory position. Tawai. —Seven years in occupation ; distant from rail at Kuiti, forty-eight miles; distant from nearest port (Mokau), seven miles. Tawai is about half-way between Kuiti and Waitara (Taranaki). Number of sections, 19. Original selectors, 19; but only 10 now remaining, occupying an area of 142 acres 1 rood 27 perches. Three selectors now resident on land, who, with their families, number ten. Value of improvements effected, £560 16s. Houses on settlement, 8 ; of these, five are habitable dwellings, the other three only shanties. Improvements as a whole neither extensive nor substantial. Rangitira. —Number of sections, 10; occupied, 2. Acreage, 1,000 acres. Population, 8. Number of cattle, 19. Area grassed, 52 acres. This settlement still in a stationary condition; very little if any advance made during year. Selectors still but two. The other selectors left settlement as soon as advances for felling, burning, grassing, and houses ceased. The climate here is humid; rains during summer prevalent, rendering bush burns uncertain. Outlook at present unsatisfactory, but with present demand for land and dairy produce the latter may eventually with cattle-raising improve matters in the near future. Mangatu. —Acreage, 1,100 acres. Number of selections, 10 ; number occupied, 9. Population, 41; increase for year, 10. Number of cattle, 70. Area grassed, 534 acres. This settlement is in almost the same condition as last year; very little if any alteration. With only medium land and no local market, road-making supplemented by occasional gum-digging being the principal source of revenue, this settlement may be said to be now slightly improving, but its progress will necessarily be slow until a better market for such as the settlers can produce is within their reach, or dairying or some other industry gives local and remunerative employment.