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Onewhero (Locality : Onewhero). —Area, 600 acres. Possession, date, 16th April, 1945. Subdivision, one sheep-farm. New fences were erected and repairs effected and an area was regrassed during the time the property was grazed by the Department. Owing to periodic flooding of the flats it was decided to ballot the property as a single unit, and the successful applicant took over on fixed charges on Ist May, 1946. Ongo View (Locality : Ohinewai). —Area, 711 acres. Possession date, 17th April, 1945. Subdivision, two sheep-farms. This property was farmed by the Department until certain improvements, including the erection of buildings, were completed. The successful applicants at the ballot took over on fixed charges on 29th April, 1946. OtaTciri (Locality : Otakiri).—Area, 412 acres. Possession date, Ist June, 1945. Subdivision, four dairy-farms. Two sections were settled during 1945-46, and following a period on wages two other ex-servicemen have been granted leases, thus completing the settlement of this block. Ototoa (Locality : Helensville). —Area, 1,611 acres. Possession date, Ist February, 1941. Subdivision, nine dairy-farms. Two sections were settled on fixed charges at the beginning of the 1945-46 season, and development work having been completed during the past year, charges have been fixed on the remaining seven sections, which have also now been settled, thus completing settlement of the block. Paratu (Locality: Walton). —Area, 2,029 acres. Possession date, 15th October, 1943. Subdivision, sixteen mixed farms. Development work on buildings, drains, and fences has progressed, but until a drag-line becomes available it will not be possible to proceed with the final draining, clearing, and regrassing of the swamp area. Some 400 acres have been cropped and laid in permanent grass. The formation and metalling of the roads through the block and the erection of bridges has been delayed through shortage of labour. One section was milked on wages this season, and provided progress on buildings is maintained it should be possible to ballot seven sections in the coming year. Pouarua (Locality: Hauraki Plains). —Area, 12,147 acres. Possession date 10th October, 1937. Subdivision not yet planned. Part of the grassed area of 6,000 acres has reverted to swamp and the area now stocked amounts to about 5,000 acres. Due to the better season experienced, the area is now showing signs of progress, and continuous improvement in its condition can be seen. The experiments being conducted by the Animal Research Division of the Department of Agriculture are still proceeding. The success achieved by the application of bluestone to combat copper deficiency is now well known and further experiments are in progress. The policy of taking in winter grazing of dairy cattle from settlers on the Hauraki Plains was continued during the year. Kerepeehi (Part Pouarua block). —Of the total area of 1,590 acres, 188 acres have been leased, but the leases are being terminated on 30th April, 1947. The balance of the area has been grassed with the exception of about 150 acres, which is still in scrub and pussy-willow. The block is being steadily improved with careful stocking, and the pastures will improve rapidly when men are available to carry out greater fence and drain improvements. The work is now mostly confined to maintenance and improvement of drains, fences, water-supply, pastures, and general care of live-stock. When building and fencing materials become available it should be possible to prepare two 90-acres sections for settlement by ex-servicemen during the next year. One section on this block has been selected by the Animal Research Division for the purpose of conducting experiments in copper deficiency on peat lands. The whole area is topdressed annually with 20 lb. of bluestone per .acre. Puketurua (Locality : Putaruru). —Area, 540 acres. Possession date, 14th April, 1946. Subdivision, three farms. This block has been grazed with dry stock and settlement will not be possible until development work, including water-supply, fencing, regrassing, and the erection of buildings, is completed. Putiki (Locality : Edgeeumbe). —Area, 1,549 acres. Possession date, 28th June, 1946. Subdivision, fourteen dairy-farms. Seven ex-servicemen, each with a promise of an undefined section, have been share-milking over the whole area during the 1946-47 .season, and the production of butterfat has been maintained. Seven new dwellings and

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