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prepared and passed for payment. Miscellaneous revenue totalling £7,289 10s. 2d. was collected, of which amount Patetonga tram freights accounted for £605 7s. 9d. Inward correspondence totalled 3,789 ; outward, 9,233. Collection of Rates. —Some 2,077 assessments were made, and the amount of drainage rates struck totalled £19,317 7s. sd. Rates collected totalled £14,279 19s. Bd., of which £7,071 6s. 7d. was credited to Hauraki Plains and £7,133 os. fid. to Rangitaiki. Draughting Staff. —The staff has been occupied in preparation of survey data, plans to accompany engineering reports, general draughting-work, and other matters pertaining to the special nature of our operations. Some 3,017 photo-stat prints were made during the year. On account of having reached the age-limit, Mr. W. J. C. Slane, senior draughtsman, retired on superannuation at the 31st March, having served nine years in this branch. His mathematical and engineering knowledge, gained in the Indian Civil Service and New Zealand Public Works Department, proved of great assistance, and his services will be missed.

APPENDIX TV.—HUTT VALLEY SETTLEMENT. (H. W. C. Mackintosh, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Residential, Shopping, ano Industrial Sites. Steady progress has been made with the sales of residential sections within the area, and the prices of same must be regarded as quite satisfactory. Over 700 of these sections have been sold to date, and. at least 400 houses have been erected, including many fine residences. Auction sales are being arranged from time to time, and, while the demand for sections may not be quite as keen as it was twelve months ago, the sales must be regarded as satisfactory. The residential, sections sold to date have realized £175,900. Roading, drainage, &c, is now practically completed, and the cost of this work, expended and authorized, amounts to approximately £171,000. Two school-sites have been sold, and the sale of two more is nearing completion. One school has already been erected and open for some little time. The attendance at this school from the day of opening was such that an extension of premises was an immediate necessity. Five church-sites have been disposed of to various denominations, and churches are now being erected on some of the sites. An area of about 70 acres has been disposed of to the Railway Department as a site for the Railway workshops, and, as these shops will, I understand, employ some 860 men, the commencing of operations at the shops should have an effect upon future sales. The Railway Department have already earmarked a number of sections which are required by employees, but as the sale has not actually been completed these arc not taken into account in the figures quoted. A number of inquiries have been received for sites within the industrial area, and, in addition to those sold last year, the sale of one block lying to the east of the Hutt Park has been completed at the satisfactory price of £11,500. Options have been granted over two areas adjacent to this lot, and it is hoped that the sale will be finalized early in the coming year. The industrial line has not yet been commenced, but arrangements have been made with the Railway authorities to have the work put in hand immediately it is required. Negotiations have been entered into with the Wellington Harbour Board for the erection of a wharf at Point Howard in order to give wharfage accommodation for the benefit of industries commencing in the locality. It, is considered that the conditions under which the Harbour Board are prepared to erect the wharf should prove quite satisfactory. As the new town-planning legislation prevents the establishment of shops except in specified areas, it was found necessary to set aside areas for the erection of shops and. businesses. One area selected lies immediately opposite the eastern exit of the Woburn Station. The area has been subdivided, giving due consideration to the ideas of modern town-planning, and it is hoped to arrange a sale early in May. Judging by the number of inquiries, there should be a keen demand for these sections. The purchase price of the areas sold to date amounts to £286,510. The sections offered and unsold at date number 130, and the reserve price is £35,860. The area still to be offered should realize in the vicinity of £200,000. Difficulties were met with owing to the area being considerably intersected by private freeholds, and as the scheme progressed it, was often found necessary to negotiate with the private owners for the purchase of additional areas in order that not only should the comprehensive roading scheme be satisfactorily carried out, but that the Department should get the full benefit of any betterment created by its operations. In most cases the Department has been met quite reasonably by the private owners, and as a result there has been a considerable saving in expenditure and it is anticipated that there will be quite a satisfactory result from sales of areas acquired in this manner. Thanks are particularly due to the Chief Surveyor, Mr. F. H. Waters, whose assistance and cooperation in every detail of the scheme has been invaluable.