7

a.—2

Native owners, who are improving their holdings and seem to be satisfied with their prospects of success. Kenepuru contains 1,138 acres, but part of it has not been allotted. Nearly the whole of the land is under lease- for a term of twenty-one years, and the lessee has effected substantial improvements. Big Bay (950 acres) contains some heavy bush land. Part of the block has been leased, and certain improvements have been made. Port Gore (504 acres) is occupied by one of the owners, who has leased from some of the others, and is improving the land. Edgecombe Block contains 358 acres, is leased to one of the owners, and is occupied. Baetihi Block (500 acres) and Te Mapou Block (1,195 acres) are situated in the Croixelles district. They were reserved under the name of Whangamoa in 19 LI, in pursuance of the provisions of sections 321 and 322 of the Land Act, 1908, which empowers the Governor to reserve permanently Crown lands {inter alia) for the " use, support, or education of aboriginal Natives of New Zealand." Out of 1,695 acres in the two blocks only 935 acres have been allotted. The names of the grantees have not been gazetted, nor does there seem to be any power to do so under the existing law. Both blocks are at present occupied by the grantees, who desire to obtain leases of the surplus areas in each. The land is valued at 13s. an acre unimproved, and there are £250 worth of improvements on Te Mapou. Heaphy Block (called also Whakapoai) contains 1,600 acres/and was allotted to thirty-eight persons, but it does not appear that this land has been reserved by proclamation, nor has the list of names been gazetted. The land lies on the west coast of Nelson, and is of fair quality. It is not occupied, and it is said that the Natives to whom it was allotted live at Westport and in Taranaki. Bruce Bay (Manakaiaua) contains an area of 3,760 acres, is situated in Westland, and is of good quality, mostly river-flats. Parts are swampy, but could be easily drained. There are 135 names in the list of owners. The land is occupied by some of the Natives, who appear to be well satisfied with their holdings. Of the Otago lands the Wanaka Block, of 1,554 acres, was allotted by Commissioners Percy Smith and Mackay to fifty-seven persons. The block is held under a pastoral lease with three years yet to run; consequently no Proclamation has been issued reserving it for landless Natives. We think that this should be done, and the names of those to whom it has been allotted published. It seems to be useless to survey the block into either family or individual sections, as it is not adapted for close settlement. The owners should take as tenants in common in the whole block, and should receive the rents accruing from the lease in proportion to their respective shares. Glenomaru Block, of 354 acres, is located in the South Molyneux district, near the coast. There are only seven owners, and it is not known if any of these occupy. Tautuku Block, of 6,821 acres, consists of two divisions, and is situated on the south-east coast of Otago. It is mostly timbered, but the bush is of an inferior quality. The soil is poor and the climate wet. The Crown Lands Ranger considers the land to be worth, £1 an acre at the most, and does not think it would go off readily if offered at present. There is a road within half a mile of the western division, while the eastern part is roaded. There is a sawmill within one mile and a half, and a dairy factory has been established at Heathfield near-by. There are no shipping facilities, nor is there a railway within measurable distance, yet the fact that a sawmill and a dairy factory are in operation in the district would go to indicate that dairying areas of 200 acres each would be taken up. Waikawa Block, containing 5,238 acres, adjoins Tautuku on the south, but falls within the Southland Land District. Its characteristics do not materially differ from those of Tautuku. The land is of fair average quality, but broken. There is some bush containing mixed milling-timber which could be brought out to Waikawa Harbour. There is road access, but the Tokonui Railway is over 20 miles away. A good deal of the land is suitable for dairying, and the best