G.—lo

NATIVE TRUST AND MAORI LAND BOARD ACTIVITIES The expenditure incurred on all farming operations undertaken by the Native I rustee and the various Maori Land Boards is controlled by the Board of Native Affairs. 1 he Board also exercises control over the investment on mortgage or otherwise of moneys available in the Native Trustee's Account or in the account of any Maori Land Board. The Native Trustee is actively farming sixteen separate sheep and cattle stations. Most of these properties have now been developed to the stage where little further capital money will be required. The stations are fully stocked and are in a position to breed their own requirements in both sheep and cattle. The numbers of live-stock at the 31st March, 1943, were 8,600 run cattle, 31,000 breeding-ewes, and 38,000 dry sheep. At the 31st March, 1943, there were 367 mortgage-investment accounts in the Native Trustee's books, totalling £461,094, which mostly represent advances on Native farm securities. Ihe field organization oi the Department is responsible for the supervision of these properties, together with the Native estates in respect of which the Native Trustee has been appointed administrator or trustee. The Tairawhiti Maori Land Board has been successfully farming Anaura Station for a number ol years, and has, during the past year, assumed control of another station on behalf of some 1,000 beneficial owners. This property, Waiorongomai, contains 13,845 acres and is carrying 6,400 sheep and 1,000 cattle. All necessary buildings are already oa the station, and the programme for the next few years wil'l be the renovation of these and the fences, which are in poor condition. The nature of the country varies considerably, the front portion being easy light hills and flat river terraces. The back portion of the block, which comprises the bulk of the area, is very steep and precipitous, and about 2,000 acres 1 are impossible of development and will be allowed to revert to bush. Ihe Aotca Maori Land Board experienced a very satisfactory year in connection with Ihe farming of Morikau Station, the beneficial owners of which voted a further sum towards war purposes, making a total of £6,000 contributed from farming profits. The stock carried on Maori Land Board stations as at 31st. March, 1943, was as follows: 17,000 breeding-ewes, 13,000 dry sheep, and 2,800 run cattle. The following table indicates the measure of assistance granted from Maori Land Board funds to individual Native settlers for the purpose of financing their farming operations:—

EAST COAST NATIVE TRUST LANDS The Bast Coast. Native Trust lands, which range from Tolaga Bay in the north to Wairoa in the south and extend to Mahia Peninsula, are controlled by the East Coast Commissioner. Under section 7 of the Board of Native Affairs Act, 1934-35, these lands were brought under the control of the Board as far as the operations of the Trusts relate to the expenditure or investment of any moneys or to the giving of mortgages over any property vested in the Commissioner are concerned. The original purpose of the Trust was the salvaging of large areas of Native land which were in danger of being lost to the Maoris. This object has been achieved, and the Trust is now in a thoroughly sound financial position and self-supporting, 110 Government moneys being involved, the aim of the Trust at present, besides providing' a. return to the Maori beneficiaries, who number approximately 7,500, is to use the lands as far as possible as a training-ground for Natives. The Commissioner has his own officers and staff with headquarters at Gisborne. The total area of the Trust vested in the Commissioner comprises 224,909 acres' divided into two portions the East Coast Native Trust lands containing* 116,000 acres and the Mangatu Trust embracing 108,909 acres. Sheep and cattle farming is undertaken by the Commissioner on a large portion of the Trust which is divided into twenty-three

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Total Advances to Nativel AT , Board. Settlers under Mortgage Number of as at 31st March, 1943. Mortgagors. £ Tokerau .. .. 2,550 3 Waikato-Maniapoto .. 6,617 18 *Waiariki .. .. 4,936 * 25 Tairawhiti .. .. 68,169 92 Aotea .. .. .. 34,594 60 Ikaroa .. .. .. 29,426 45 South Island .. .. 5,912 9 Totals .. .. 152,204 252 * In addition, £72,966 is invested in farm properties (Taheke, Tihiotonga, and Waikawa).