e.—l

CANTERBURY. (N. C. Kensington, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No new areas were purchased during the past year in this district. Numerous applications from occupiers of lands purchased under the Land for Settlements Act were dealt with by the several Adjustment Commissions acting under the Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act, and, given fair average prices, settlers on economic areas should carry on successfully with the relief given. With the vagaries of prices and changing conditions numerous individual holdings have proved uneconomic, and, where possible, a regrouping of sections is being carried out. Settlement lands being largely on the low country, the revenue returns for the past year should be very fair, and although weather difficulties have been experienced the mixed nature of the farming operations should average out reasonably well. Following on the heavy rainfall of last year, drainage in many parts of this district requires attention, and a systematic method of dealing with drainage and river protection is one that will require to be given attention in the near future. Settlers who did not take advantage of the Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act as an avenue for having their rent adjusted under the present conditions are in many cases having their rent considered under section 216 of the Land Act, and numerous applications are being dealt with. Some of the early renewable leases of settlement land are expiring shortly, and the valuations for assessing the rentals for the renewed leases are now receiving attention. OTAGO. (W. E. Shaw, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No new estates were purchased during the year. Owing principally to the favourable climatic conditions that have prevailed, the land-for-settlements settlers generally have, in common with the majority of other landholders, had a very successful season. SOUTHLAND. (T. Cagney, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) Four sections in the Lora Settlement were offered during the year, and all were selected. It is proposed to offer another section in this settlement during the ensuing year. The readjustment of the areas of the holdings of the Stalker and Campbell Settlements has been practically completed, and the various occupiers concerned are much appreciative of the action taken to give them the benefit of increased areas, which hitherto were too small. Settlements generally, with few exceptions, may be regarded as in a sound position.

Table 1. —Return showing (approximately) Position of Lands in the Dominion at 31st March, 1939.

50

Total Area i Land unfit for Total Aran i Tntnl Arm °' Cr<"™ Lands] Total Area of Settlement sold mYranted resetvertfor lcased under i Crow11 Lant,s Total Aroa (including Total Area District. nn,i orf : PnhMn a11 Tenures ! available for of Area occupied in Land Freehold Pnrnnses (exclusive of j Future Native Land. by Rivers, District. Freenora. purposes. Reserves leased Disposal. Lakes, Itoads. by Crown). 1 tc.). Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. North Auckland .. 2,645,876 461,504 500,576 137,776 515,040 217,428 4,478,200 Auckland .. .. 2,824,865 1,244,733 806,285 538,478 1,634,634 1171.578 8,220,573 Gisborne •• 1,150,178 486,670 508,103 74,189 1,041,954 254,832 3,515,926 Hawko's Bay .. .. 1,582,305 202,470 502,638 42,813 371,222 216,438 2,917,836 Taranaki .. .. 1,127,659 350,807 586,636 83,717 165,706 89,906 2,404,431 Wellington* .. .. 3,550,285 1,066,181 762,813 136,218 786,024 749,548 7,051,069 Nelson .. .. 665,588 2,455,829 536,937 298,371 30,051 728,224 4,715,000 Marlborough .. .. 782,965 353,239 1,320,920 202,612 .. 108,264 2,768,000 Westland .. .. 172,897 2,169,003 616,846 435,520 .. 469,112 3,863,378 Canterbury .. .. 3,568,029 1,579,638 3,792,706 90,074 .. 447,983 9,478,430 Otago .. .. 1,977,463 958,759 5,450,229 9,213 .. 612,113 9,007,777 Southland .. .. 1,863,270 4,569,050 1,370,385 37,494 .. 129,327 7,969,526 Totals .. 21,911,380 15,897,883 16,755,074 2,086,475 4,544,631 5,194,753 66,390,196 * Includes Chatham Islands.