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Remuera. —Satisfactory progress is being made on this settlement. The men are all well established, and with reasonable prices should require no further assistance. Streamlands.—ln a slightly better position than last year, although the butter-output has not increased, and the blackberries cannot be checked. The access and internal roads are in a very bad condition. Te Pua. —This settlement is in a satisfactory state, and the men are well established. Tohiri. —The three settlers among whom the settlement has been divided seen to be improving steadily. The capital values have been considerably reduced, and the men should ultimately succeed. Upokonui.—We have been unable to dispose of the vacant section 011 this settlement as yet. The three settlers seem to be doing satisfactorily, having changed over to grazing. Waimata.—This is in a very satisfactory state, being possibly the best settlement, and occupied by good men. Waiteitei.—This settlement has up to the present been practically isolated by the bad state of the poor clay roads. The occupied sections are showing improvement, especially those which are topdressed ; but the settlers are not on any better footing than last year, owing to poor prices, in spite of a lot of hard work. Finlayson.—A recent acquisition on which two tenants are grazing. As the place is in good order and well developed, these men are on a satisfactory basis from the start. Auckland. (K. M. Geaham, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) During the year no new estates have been acquired or opened for settlement. A total area of 8,861 acres, comprising forty-four allotments, were offered for selection, being chiefly sections which had reverted to the Crown. Included in this area were seventeen sections in Reporoa Settlement, with an area of 2,011 acres, and eight sections in Te Miro Settlement, covering an area of 3,107 acres, the balance being odd sections in various settlements. The total area selected on permanent tenures during the year was 5,618 acres, by thirty-four selectors. There are in this district fifty-two settlements, on which at the close of the year there were 913 leaseholders, occupying 124,770 acres ; while 693 settlers, occupying 124,890 acres, have acquired the freehold. Most of the settlers on the older settlements are now in a fairly sound position, and should continue to progress ; but some of the settlers on the more recent settlements are still experiencing difficulties with high production costs and unstable markets. These more recent settlements are for the most part occupied by discharged soldiers, most of whom should ultimately make good 011 their holdings, owing to the various concessions granted under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act by way of revaluation and adjustment of advances, rent, and interest accounts. A number of sections which have come back to the Crown for various reasons will be reoffered for selection during the year. Gisbokne. (E. H. Farnie, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) During the year the Te Wera Settlement (9,285 acres), formerly the property of Messrs. Field and Chappell, was thrown open for selection, but none of the sections were disposed of, and steps are now being taken by the Department to stock the property. It is difficult to assign a reason for the non-selection of this settlement, apart from the fact that there is practically no demand for land at the present time. The old-established settlements in the district are still in a flourishing state, and, as a rule, the settlers are doing well. Hawke's Bay. (J. D. Thomson, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No estates have been acquired for settlement under the Land for Settlements Act during the past year. Several properties have been under offer, but when due allowance is made for costs of roading and all the essential overhead expenses associated with the establishment of separate farms it has been found that the purchase-price was too high. With perhaps the solitary exception of the Waihau Settlement, the older settlers on all the settlements are well established. On several of the settlements, however, a few settlers who paid excessive goodwills during the boom period are to-day having a hard struggle to meet their obligations, and it is from these men that complaints as to excessive original capital values mostly come. The progress of the older settlements can only be gauged by the regularity with which rents are met, and when an inspection is necessary in connection with a proposed transfer, as owing to pressure of work in connection with discharged-soldier settlement no general inspection has been possible. It is proposed, .however, during the coming season to get in closer touch with the civilian settlers. Omana. —With one exception, all the settlers are engaged in dairying. Profiting by last year's experience, the settlers have made ample provision for winter supplies of hay and fodder, and the stock are in good condition. Tangoio. —This settlement has a poor reputation throughout the district; not that the land is poor or the capital value too high—quite the reverse —but the exorbitant prices paid as goodwill by several transferees during the. boom period, and their subsequent failure to make good, combined With"'the perpetual appeals for assistance from- the Department, have so depreciated the market values of the holdings that it is doubtful if any of the settlers could to-day quit his holding at half the value of his improvements. •