C.—l

Canterbury Land District. Ashton Block, of 703 acres, is situated in the Ashburton County, and although a great deal has been accomplished in establishing new pastures, clearing gorse, and repairing fences it is estimated that about 30 per cent, of the work still remains to be completed. When the development of this block was first undertaken it was practically worthless as a grazing proposition, but the work has now advanced to the extent that it is estimated that next year it will be self-supporting. Proceeds from the sale of sheep and wool amounted to £1,783 in the season just closed, and on the 31st March the total sheep carried was 1,180. McKenzie Estate, which contains 199 acres, was being farmed and developed as an asset of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Account, but early in 1938 these operations were brought under the control of the Lands Development Board. Considerable progress has been made in draining, gorseclearing, and the establishment of new pastures, and the year's operations resulted in a small profit. The carrying-capacity has been increased considerably, and on the 31st March, 1939, forty-seven cows, sixteen heifers, and fifty-five head of other stock was being carried.

(b) Total Cost of Development Works carried out to 31st March, 1939.

In addition to the expenditure on blocks as set out above, expenditure has been incurred on roading, survey, &c., of various areas which are being developed by the settlers themselves, bringing the total expenditure for developing, stock, roading, and surveys (apart from roading-costs payable out of the Public Works Fund) up to the 31st March, 1939, to £397,840, and providing for 590 farms exclusive of a number of blocks which have not yet been subdivided.

(c) and (d) Developed Allotments disposed of.

31

-I? ,i-. Expenditure on Total ExpenExpenditure on D^velopment diture on Blook - to 31st°March, du ™« J, ea , r "e^lopment . Q „„ ended 31st to 31st March, March, 1939. 1939. North Auckland Land District. £ £ £ Wharekohe Block .. .. .. 10,763 .. 10,763 Auckland Land District. Arohena Block .. .. .. .. 207 .. 207 Galatea Estate ., .. .. .. 120,778 20,599 141,377 Koromatua Block .. .. .. 4,466 .. 4,466 Mangatutu Block .. . . .. 3,717 •• 3,717 Ngakuru Block .. .. .. .. 84,825 .. 84,825 Onepu Block* .. .. .. .. 20,120 .. 20,120 Te Kauwhata Block .. .. .. 32,176 .. 32,176 Hawke's Bay Land District. Kaheka Estate .. .. .. .. 134 3,547 3,681 Kakariki Estate.. .. .. .. 37,962 1,352 39,314 Parinui Block .. .. .. 590 1,736 2,326 Waihau Block .. .. .. .. .. 3,791 3,791 Canterbury Land District. Ashton Block .. .. .. .. 2,653 418 3,071 McKenzie Estate .. .. .. 1,263 .. 1,263 Totals .. .. .. .. 319,654 31,443 351,097 * Part of Onepu Block taken over by Small Farms Board.

Number of Rental Annual Rent, Block. Allotments Area. Tenure. Capital or Interest disposed of. Value. receivable. Acres. £ £ s. d. Galatea (part) .. .. .. 19 2,271 R.L. 17,045 852 5 0 Koromatua .. .. .. .. 4 538 R.L. 2,900 145 0 0 Mangatutu .. .. .. .. 5 771 R.L. 4,680 234 0 0 Ngakuru .. .. .. .. 45 8,697 R.L. 58,314 2,915 14 0 Onepu* .. .. .. .. 12 1,237 R.L. 11,675 583 15 0 m F , , 10 , „ QK /R.L. 8,325 416 5 0 Te Kauwhata .. .. .. 12 1,735 p 6 165 369 x 6 Omahuta No. 2 .. .. .. 1 230 R.L. 423 11 11 0 Wharekohe .. .. .. .. 15 1,879 R.L. 7,730 231 8 0 Totals .. .. .. 113 17,358 .. 117,257 5,758 19 6 * In addition, eleven sections are held under the small-farms scheme.