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With regard to the timber, it is for the most part an inferior class of birch, but there are occasional patches of red-pine and miro suitable for sawmilling purposes. , If there is any further information I can give you, I shall at any time be happy to do so. I have, &c, Arch. McGavock, John Hay, Esq., Chief Surveyor, Invercargill. County Engineer.

Landless Natives, Southland. Extract from Report of Chief Surveyor, Southland Land District, for the Year ending 31st March, 1902-3. In the early part of last summer I inspected the survey operations beyond the Waiau River known as the Landless Natives' Block. lam sorry to say that a large proportion of this land is of little value, being mostly carpeted with a covering of moss varying from 12 in. to 24 in. deep, then densely overgrown with valueless birch timber with occasional patches of fair red and white pine, and a little sprinkling of totara ; but owing to the inaccessible nature of the country the last-mentioned timbers are of no commercial value. Taking the inaccessible nature of the country into consideration, its excessively wet climate, and the poor quality of the land, I fear that the selection has not been all that could be desired for settlement purposes or for landless Natives. I cannot speak in any other terms than praise of the energy and courage displayed by Messrs. Lilliecrona and Otway in carrying out their work of subdivision under such unfavourable conditions. Obtaining supplies, I found, necessitated a good deal of swagging—over twenty miles at times —from the coast to the camp. The delays caused by the non-arrival of the cutter through intervening periods of inclement weather delayed the provisions, these delays extending from one to four months, and thus supplies had to be swagged from a locality known as " Blue Cliff," near the Waiau River, a distance slightly under forty miles. I was pleased to find that the work had been carried out as satisfactorily as could be desired in the face of unusual difficulties, and a notoriously wet climate, of which the mosscovered nature of the ground afforded ample evidence.

LAND FOR LANDLESS NATIVES AT LORD'S RIVER, STEWART ISLAND. Department of Lands and Survey, District Office, Invercargill, 2nd September, 1904. Landless Native Surveys around Lord's River, Stewart Island. In compliance with your request, I have to report in connection with the above subject as follows : . . . . The whole block is densely covered with bush, some of which is suitable for sawmilling. The country is hilly, but does not attain any great altitude, and the soil is generally classed from fair to good. Personally, I agree with what may be gathered from the classification-sheets. I have been through most of this country, and consider the land fair to medium, and in some places good. I further consider the land suitable for the purpose for which it has been surveyed, because I do not think any better bush land can be found (with the exception of the land immediately to the west) for settlement purposes in this land district. One great advantage this land possesses, I should think, from a Native point of view, is the good fishing-ground in the immediate vicinity, and the excellent harbour and boat-harbours within the boundaries of the block. John Hay, The Surveyor-General, Wellington. Commissioner of Crown Lands.

LAND FOR LANDLESS NATIVES AT TAUTUKU. Dunedin, 17th November, 1903. Sections 17, 18, 22, 23, and 24, Block XI., Tautuku Survey District. I have to report on Sections 17, 18, 22, 23, and 24, Block XL, Tautuku District. There is a certain amount of clearing on each of Sections 17, 18, and 22-24, but these clearings are now so badly covered with undergrowth that they are not of any value. Each section contains a proportion of milling-timber. A certain amount of expense has already been gone to in making a road to the frontage sections, and there is a little grass on each of the clearings. To enable holders of sections fronting the main road to increase their holdings if they should desire to do so, I would suggest that Sections 17 and 18 (grouped), 22, 23, and 24 be opened for selection optionally at ss. per acre and that 19, 20, and 21 be withheld from sale in the meantime. The reason for suggesting that 17 and 18 be grouped, is that there is a deep steep gully running along the whole frontage of Section 17, and this gully to some extent blocks the entrance to the larger part of the section. Better access could be got to it through Section 18. These may be described as rough, broken, bush sections with a fair aspect generally, situated about twenty-three miles from the proposed new railway-terminus at Ratanui, and within one mile of a school and post-office. Timber, red-pine and kamai. E. O'Neill, The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Dunedin. Crown Lands Ranger.