Gr.—lo.

In the northern part of the land district, comprised in the Waiapu and Matakaoa Counties, there remained a number of unimproved bush blocks, such as Poroporo, Takatahu, Tapatu-Waitangirua, and portions of Tikitiki and Marangairoa. The breaking-in of these to pasture was only awaiting the completion of the schemes for the consolidation of titles, and the arrangement of the necessary finance. Prior to the present depression it had not been difficult for the Maoris of this section of the East Coast to find means of clearing their forest lands for pasture. The delay in the determination of titles allowed the depression to overtake these areas in an unimproved state. For a similar reason the lands comprised in the south-east portion of the Tuparoa Consolidation Scheme, Whareponga, Tutuwhinau, Kokai, Kaimoho, Waitotoki, and portions of Ngamoe were found in an unsatisfactory state of development. So that in the two counties referred to there were at the beginning of 1930 many areas which could be developed under the new system. Up to the year 1925 sheep-farming was the only kind of farming that the Maoris of the Waiapu and Matakaoa Counties engaged in. In 1925 a dairy-factory was established at Ruatoria, the titles to much of the land suitable for dairying having been adjusted and settled under consolidation schemes. The new industry had taken a firm hold of the low-lying lands and was expanding rapidly, but much remained to be done to improve the farms and herds. At the beginning of 1930 it was estimated that less than one-third of the area suitable for dairying was devoted to that purpose. It is probable that but for the depression, which began to be seriously felt in sheep-farming districts early in 1930 and was already causing unemployment, the provisions of the Act of 1929 would not have been applied to lands in the Waiapu and Matakaoa Counties. The droughts of the 1930-31 and 1931-32 seasons with failure of the potato crops, added to the drop in the price of farm products and unemployment forced Maori landowners to apply for assistance under the new scheme. Summary of Development Schemes. Beginning with Mohaka in January, 1930, the following development schemes have been undertaken in the Tairawhiti Maori Land District, and were in operation at the 31st March, 1932

The above table arranges the schemes in their geographical order from north to south, and not in the order in which the provisions of the 1929 Act were applied. The detailed review of each scheme will follow the order in the table. (a) Takatahu. This is the Native name of the Whetumatarau No. 6 Block, which, with subdivision No. 5, comprises 418 acres 0 roods 18 perches. The two subdivisions adjoin and consist of three parts flat and one part steep hillside. Prior to the development scheme the land was in standing bush with the exception of about 40 acres of the flat, which had been cleared by a former lessee. There were liabilities on the blocks for rates and survey liens, and for a payment made by the Proprietors of Tihi-o-manono 4d and other blocks (Pohutu Station) to the former lessee. Takatahu is situated on the south bank of the Karakatuwhero River, is well adapted for dairying, and is served by a metalled road which connects it with the main highway. The preliminary development was a simple proposition, the felling and burning of the bush, sowing, and fencing. This cost to the 31st March, 1931, £912. Further clearing of logs and scrub on the river-flats and subdivisional fencing were carried out in the following year. The land was stocked with heavy cattle costing £417. The total expenditure to the 31st March, 1932, was £2,095, or £5 an acre. The treatment with heavy cattle has been very beneficial to the new pasture and put the land into good heart for dairying. It is estimated that three dairy farms can be established on this scheme with a capacity of at least 150 cows. (b) Waiapu-Matakaoa. This is a " blanket " scheme, which at the 31st March, 1932, embraced eight separate blocks of the total area of 5,844 acres. With one exception, Herupara No. 1 Block, these were all bush lands, on some of which there were substantial clearings and pastures, partly fenced. Development was undertaken

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Expenditure Name of Scheme. Area. d.vdopal.lo, T „ 31st T„ 31st March, 1931. March, 1932. A. B. p. Acres. £ £ Takatahu.. .. .. .. .. 418 0 18 410 912 2,095 W aiapu-Matakaoa .. .. .. .. 5,844 0 0 4,800 .. 7,419 Poroporo (including Whenuakura) .. .. 2,607 1 9 2,500 2,308 10,291 Tuparoa .. .. .. .. .. 8,085 1 14 8,000 .. 10,4*8 Mohaka .. .. .. .. .. 13,762 2 31 11,500 5,653 17,178 Putorino Nursery .. .. .. .. 26 2 0 20 .. 1,333 Total .. .. .. .. 30,743 3 32 27,230 8,873 48,764