c.-i.

Dairying Industry. There are now teu butter-factories —at Takaka, Bainham, Brightwater, Murchison, Puraniahoi, Richmond, Karamea, Birohfield, Charleston, and Cronadun—and one cheese-factory —at Purauiahoi —the output being 620 tons of butter and 63 of cheese, the produce of 7,700 cows, the value of produce being about £65,000. This industry has increased its output considerably during past years, and has spread generally throughout the district. In some cases the cream is carted a distance of sixteen miles, and then railed for sixty miles before it reaches the factory. Fruit Industry. The fruit industry in the northern part of the district is now of considerable extent. Each year larger areas are being planted in orchards, particularly apples for export. The area planted during the past year was about 1,200 acrts. A good export trade is now established with South America. An attempt has also been made, and will probably ultimately be successful, to establish a fruit trade with North America. The three canning and preserving factories are kept in constant work. The question of growing Pinus insignus for cases is also being met by the fruitgrowers. Large areas of land which years ago were considered useless for any purpose whatever are being subdivided into farms of from 10 to 40 acres, selling at from £15 to £60 per acre, attracting purchasers from all parts of the Dominion. Various other small fruits are grown, as the specially good climate favours the early market. Some attempt has indeed been made to foster the industry on the West Coast, and, although the moist climate is likely to be a drawback, yet there is every hope that the enterprise of the fruitgrowers will discover or evolve a suitable kind of stock. There are also in the backblocks extensive valleys such as the Maruia Valley and the upper parts of the Takaka and Aorere which may come in for fruitgrowing, if not of apples, at least for black currants and smaller fruits, and which with increased road facilities are likely soon to be brought close to a good market. Coal Industry. The coal industry has been very dull during the year, no new developments of any size having taken place. The two mines at Collingwood, North Cape and Puponga, turned out about 6,000 tons, and favourable prospects have been obtained from Ferntown, in that neighbourhood. The mines in the neighbourhood of Westport had an output of about 680,000 tons, being about 170,000 less than last year, whilst at Reefton there was a considerable increase on account of the requirements of the strike. The output altogether was about 700,000 tons. With the return to better labour-conditions, improvement may be gradually expected. Education-endowment Lands. There is nothing specially worthy of mention under this head, as all the endowments so far leased are in convenient-sized sections either in town or country, and the question of their subdivision has consequently not arisen. In most cases these have been leased on renewable terms of twenty-one years, with a valuation at the end of each period. In some cases the tenants under the old Act applied for and have received new leases under the new Act, in order to obtain thereby a more equitable protection for their improvements. This condition appears to encourage the settlement of the reserves, and satisfy the tenants in the absence of any more secure tenure. Forest-conservation. As recommended by the Forest Commission, a suitable area of high mountain-bush land has been proposed for reservation, specially for climatic purposes, but the exact definition of this has not yet been decided, as interspersed with it are several areas which it would be unwise to exclude from settlement. These will in due course be defined. It has also been necessary to lift a few scenic reserves in cases where they have either been destroyed by fire and are no longer useful for their intended purposes or were essential as homstead-sites for the working of holdings. Full reports have been given in all cases. Revenue. ;■:..'.•• The total revenue received for the past year amounted to £38,323, being an increase of £4,221 over the previous year. The arrears of rent, exclusive of current half-years's rent, are as follows : Ordinary Crown, lands, £942; lands for settlement, £1,100; national-endowment lands, £1,522; education, reserves —primary £160, secondary £3 : total, £3,727. Receiver's Office. —Ordinary revenue receipts numbering 3,510 were issued, together with thirty-nine provisional receipts; 351 deposit-receipts were issued for the sum of £3,405, and 255 cheques representing 664 disbursements. A sum of £3,620 was paid into Local Bodies'. Account, and £2,745 was paid out to twelve local bodies. 941 vouchers, representing a sum of £22,400, passed through the books. Correspondence and Records Letters received and despatched amount to 30,000, an increase of 10 per cent, on last year. Considerable pains have been taken to improve the records in accordance with the general system, and the benefit is already apparent. In both the clerical branches of the office the rectification of accounts and records has entailed a very great deal of extra work.

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