a.—io.

Tikitere. Commenced in April, 1931, this block appears under the Mourea scheme in earlier reports A colony of selected men from the East Coast district were imported at that time to commence development work. Their leader was a hard-working young Native who was thoroughly experienced in all phases of farming. Comprising 2,743 acres, it adjoins the Tikitere thermal regions, and the covering of " Rotomahana mud " from the Tarawera eruption over the greater part of the lands has made it very responsive to cultivation and manuring. ' The contour of the country is broken by several gullies and pock-marked with steam holes and mud springs. Although to-day the property is still in the development stage, 1,147 acres are in grass and five dairy farmers have been settled. This country a few years ago had practically no value, but to-day the unimproved value in the valuation roll is shown as £5 per acre. A valuable block of 500 acres, known as Paehinahina, has just been cleared and surface-sown, an excellent strike having been obtained. The butterfat produced since the inception to date is appended : —

A comparison of last year's cash receipts with the previous year's figures is as follows : —

The wool-clip from 1,565 sheep totalled 35 bales, or 11,910 lb. The work undertaken during the year included 196 acres of clearing, the ploughing and cultivating of 120 acres, 171 chains of fencing, the surface-sowing and clearing of 514 acres, 218 chains of roading, clearing 205 chains of firebreak, and the top-dressing of all grassed areas. T ikitere— Waikato, This area contains 590 acres, of which 537 acres are in grass. Gorse has delayed the settlement of this area as dairying farms. However, six cottages have been erected and five sheds will be engaged in milking during the ensuing season. It is anticipated that seven settlers will ultimately be established. The block wintered last season 160 bullocks and 800 ewes, and the lambing tallies reached 80 per cent. A wool-clip of 28 bales, or 9,335 lb., was obtained from 968 sheep. The cash receipts for the year amounted to £772, of which £544- was for wool. The work undertaken comprised 119 acres of gorse grubbing, 276 chains of fencing, 60 chains of roading, together with the top-dressing of the grassed areas. Tokaanu. This scheme extends along both banks of the Tongariro River from the Tokaanu Village to the bridge at Turangi. The lands comprise a total area of 3,325 acres, of which 2,683 acres are capable of development. The scheme is still in the process of development, but ten settlers have been allocated individual sections. At present principally sheep farming is being undertaken. The area in pasture is 1,013 acres and in rough grass 180 acres. Special care is necessary in the preparation of pastures on the pumice areas in this district. Past experience has shown that thorough consolidation is essential to grass establishment. Areas recently sown down are now becoming permanently established, and noxious weeds are kept under control. That these lands are well suited tor sheep raising is evidenced by the size and condition of the sheep bred on the scheme and by the quantity and quality of the wool-clips.

39

Year. I Cows Milked. I Butterfat. Sheds. J I lb. 1932-33 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 N/A 5,019 1933-34 .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 169 33,724 1934-35 .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 180 34,38] 1935-36 .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 250 52,016 1936-37 .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 276 64,637 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 189,777

! ! ! 1935-36. 1936-37. 1 . I £ £ Cream .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,271 3,609 Cattle . . . . .. .. . . .. 55 51 Wool .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 695 Slieep .. .. . . .. .. . . . . 325 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. 308 47 Totals .. .. .. .. 2,634 4,727