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Reporoa Settlement. —The maintenance of 15 miles 40 chains of drains, as well as the dragging of about 3 miles of the Waiotapu Stream, was carried out last autumn by a day-labour gang. This work was done at a very reasonable cost, and has proved of great benefit to those lands which are situated near the drains maintained. The following schedule summarizes the principal operations carried out on the various w T orks : — Miles chs. Number. Cleaning drains .. .. 330 63 Flood-gates built .. .. .. 29 Widening and deepening drains .. 15 50 Pile bridges erected.. .. .. 12 Constructing new drains.. 13 27 Sill bridges erected .. .. .. 9 Dredge cuts and canals (new) . . 13 29 River and canal improvements .. 18 32 Cub. yds. Roads formed .. .. ..1 55 Metal used for roads .. .. 6,063 Roads disked and graded .. 8 55 Clay used for roads .. .. 1,262 Roads metalled .. 3 00 Spoil excavated by floating and dry-Stop-banks formed .. .. 5 61 land excavators .. .. .. 1,491,056 Stop-banks raised or strengthened 9 17 Rock excavated .. .. .. 10,600 Stop-banks repaired . . 4 10 Stiff clay and rubble excavated .. 231,352 Fences erected .. 6 63 Streams cleared . . . . 3 17 Acres. Levels taken .. .. .. 314 5 Planted in flax . . .. .. 568 Traverses run .. .. .. 104 65 Grass-seed sown .. .. . . 551 Office. —The expenditure passed through the books totalled £152,196 17s. lid., of which amount £40,260 13s. 4d. was paid from Thames and Whakatane Imprest Accounts and £47,971 Bs. 4d. through the Auckland Branch of the Treasury. Some 175 piecework and co-operative contracts were let, and 3,289 vouchers prepared and passed for payment. Miscellaneous revenue collected totalled £11,537 7s. 3d., of which amount Patetonga Tram freights accounted for £495 6s. lid. Inward correspondence, 3,512 ; outward, 5,364. Rates.—A total of 1,307 assessments were made, and the drainage rates struck amounted to £11,913 15s. 7d. Rates collected amounted to £11,228 19s. id. Draughting Staff. —This staff has been engaged in general draughting-work and preparation of plans for carrying out engineering-works. The photostat machine is still proving a cheap and accurate method of obtaining copies of plans, and in all some 3,372 prints were made, principally for our own requirements, and the Valuation, Lands and Deeds, State Forests, and Public Works Departments.

APPENDIX IV.—HUTT VALLEY SETTLEMENT. (H. W. C. Mackintosh, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Further progress has been made with sales of residential sections in the Hutt Valley, and the prices realized are still satisfactory. In the early part of the year there was a falling-off in the demand for sections, but towards the end of the year there was a decided increase in sales, with the demand at the time of writing greater than it has been since sales were first commenced. Sales of residential sites are now approaching the thousand mark, while the pushing on of the industrial railway-line has added a decided fillip to demand and sale of industrial areas. It is pleasing to note the increased demand for industrial sites, and, in addition to sales already effected, it is definitely certain that at least three more sales will be completed early in the coming year. Four industries are now in full going order, and employing a large number of workmen. Indications point to a number of others being established during the coming year. The purchase of land made by the Department within the area totalled the large sum of £180,000, and roading costs are now in the vicinity of an additional £180,000. Completed sales as at the 31st March, 1929, realized £360,000, and of this sum £147,000 is on deferred payments, earning interest at 5£ per cent. In furthering the development of the industrial area, a road has been constructed from, approximately, Randwick Road, running along the sea-front, and joining up with the Day's Bay Road. This road, while serving as a means of subdivision of industrial areas, will considerably benefit travellers to and from the shore boroughs, shortening the distance, as it does, from Wellington to Day's Bay, &c., by half a mile. The scheme is now sufficiently far advanced for one to say with safety that its success is assured, and that in the final cleaning-up there will be a fair margin of profit to hand over to the Railway Department as a contribution towards the cost of the railway, as provided by the Act. It will be readily understood that a scheme of such magnitude as the one under review entails a considerable amount of work, both in the office and in the field, and it is pleasing to note at this juncture that the whole of the work has been carried out without any addition to the staff. My thanks are due to all. who have so ably assisted in bringing about the success which has been so far achieved, and in particular I must again mention the hearty co-operation and assistance of the Chief Surveyor, Mr. F. H. Waters.