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heavy snowfall in the early winter of last year caused the high-country pastoralists a good deal of anxiety, but, fortunately, the losses proved to be, lower than anticipated, except in cases of overstocking. The; increased wool-prices, however, more than compensated for the snow losses. Lands selected. —The 'number of new selectors, including purchasers for cash, was 159 ; area, 242,748 acres. Included in these figures are six pastoral runs, with an aggregate, area of 53,984 acres, which represent the Otago University endowment situated at Benmore, held on pastoral tenure for some years at very high rentals, and reoffered by public auction at upset rentals upon which the; purchasers would have a reasonable chance of success. The annual rental under the, previous licenses amounted to £3,555; that realized at the auction held in January last came to £2,115. Two large and Important blocks of country were opened for selection—viz., Teviot anel Mount Pisa. The former was selected partly by returned soldiers anel partly by civilians, the latter by returned soldiers only. The total number of straight-out purchasers for cash was thirty ; area, 191 acres ; cash received, £3,178. The conversions to freehold from other tenures numbered twenty-seven, of which twenty-five were of Crown land and two of land-for-settlements holdings. The area of Crown land thus converted was 3,056 acres, and the cash received £2,617. The number of new selectors, exclusive of cash purchasers, was 129, and the area selected 242,557 acres. Of these, fifty-one selected on temporary tenure, the area being 14,831 acres. Revenue and Arrears. —Despite the unfavourable season, the gross revenue for the year shows an increase of £11,840 over that of the previous year. The arrears, however, also show an increase. The, number of tenants in arrear with their payments is only five more than that of the previous year, but the amount outstanding is considerably more. Land Board Work. —The work of the Board has been consistently heavy throughout the year. Seldom could the business be completed in one day. In addition to the monthly meetings, it has been found necessary to hold several special meetings. SOUTHLAND. (K. M. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) The two main factors affecting settlement in this district during the past year have been exceptional weather conditions and the prices ruling for our primary products. During the winter very heavy snow fell in the high country, and this was followed by an unusually long period of hard frosty weather resulting in serious losses of sheep. Pastoralists experienced an extremely anxious time, and it was anticipated that their losses would in some cases be elisastrous, but the compensating influences of an early and exceptionally fine spring, combined with the high prices obtained for wool later in the year, have done much to offset losses and restore confidence. A brilliant spring unfortunately developed into one of the driest summers that Southland has ever experienced, and droughty conditions continued right on into the autumn. Similar climatic conditions were prevalent everywhere, though it might be. recorded in favour of Southland that the district as a whole withstood the effects and came through the ordeal probably better than any other part of the, Dominion. Nevertheless both cropping and dairying suffered to a considerable extent. The dry season was not without some good effects, and it has at leaßt emphasized the necessity for growing green feed for dairy herds in order to profitably carry them along through the milking season. The prospects for the coming winter appear to be satisfactory, as the root and other winter crops have, on the whole, taken well, thus indicating that an adequate supply of feed for stock will be available. The high prices ruling for wool have given rise to a tendency on the part of many farmers to change over into sheep-farming in preference to dairying, and this has hail the effect of keeping the price of sheep high and making the ordinary or inferior class of dairy cows practically unsaleable. It is gratifying to be able to record that dairymen in this district are showing an increasing tendency to cull their herds and improve their breed of stock. Many of our dairy-farmers close to Invercargill are now supplied with electric power and light by the Southland Electric Power Board, using in the meantime; the surplus power from the Invercargill Borough steam plant. Good progress is being made in wiring up the whole district, but it will be some months yet before tho Monowai power is available. While the scheme is unquestionably an ambitious one, it promises to give the man on the land some of the advantages enjoyed by the town-dwellers, and from a land-settlement point of view anything that does away with some of the drudgery and makes country life more popular is a move in the right direction. A start is just being made by a local drainage Board to straighten and deepen the Waimatuku Creek for a distance of about twelve miles so as to provide better drainage for a large area of land in the western district. A similar project has been in hand for some time in connection with the Waikiwi River, and keen interest is being taken in the results, as there are many other areas of land in Southland which could be benefited by better drainage. Our primary industries have had a successful year, and generally the district can be saiel to be prosperous. There has been practically no demand for unimproved bush land, and, as this is principally the only class of land that the Department has open for selection in this district, there has in consequence been no outward expansion of settlement during the year. Until the raising of store cattle becomes more profitable there will be little inducement for settlers to take up bush land unless it is easily accessible, of first-class quality, and adapted to comparatively rapid development for dairying. Southland requires more population, and provision for increase in settlement under present conditions can best be made by subdividing the larger private holdings of first-class land, leaving the existing large areas of timber-bearing land in reserve until the timber has been milled and the time becomes more opportune for its subdivision and settlement.

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