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PuJceatua (Locality : Dannevirke). —Area, 4,151 acres. Acquired, 30th June, 1945, Subdivided, five sheep-farms. This block was balloted, and four ballotees commenced work on wages in June, 1946. Owing to the difficulty experienced in letting housing contracts, settlement of the block has been delayed. The fencing programme was held up for a time by the acute shortage of essential materials, but now supplies have come to hand the work is proceeding. The property has been top-dressed, but the country requires further top-dressing. Rawhiti (Locality: Napier).—Area, 2,144 acres. Acquired, 22nd February, 1946. Subdivided, three sheep-farms. Development of this property is proceeding, building proposals have been approved, and the survey for roading and subdivision is in progress. The internal fencing is good and only a small fencing programme will be necessary. Top-dressing was carried out and the block is looking exceptionally well. The disposal to ex-servicemen will be conditioned by the rate at which the houses and buildings can be erected. Salisbury (Locality: Maraekakaho). —Area, 1,500 acres. Acquired, 19th August, 1946. Subdivision, three sheep-farms. Parts of the property are light shingle country which responds to top-dressing and sowing in subterranean clover. It will need a fairly extensive water-supply scheme and a rather large fencing programme, as the existing fences are in a dilapidated state. Sixty acres have been laid down in permanent pasture and seventy acres have been sown in chou moellier for winter feed. Two new houses will be required and the existing homestead will require renovation. Taheke (Locality : Hastings).—Area, 3,522 acres. Acquired, sth March, 1945, and Ist October, 1945. Subdivided, nine sheep-farms. Development work has nearly been completed, the sowing of 40 acres of new grass will be finished within a few weeks, and this concludes the ploughing and pasture programme. The boundary fencing has been renewed and reconditioned, while internal fencing, including the new road boundary, will be completed shortly. The building programme, although affected by the shortage of materials, is nearly completed, and the two large water-supplies' have been installed and are operating satisfactorily. This block has been selected by ex-servicemen, who are working on wages with the promise of sections, and it is anticipated that charges will be fixed and the ballotees given title in the near future. Te Roto (Locality : Takapau).—Area, 1,404 acres. Acquired, sth June, 1945. Subdivided, four sheep-farms. Two sections were balloted on wages in June, 1946, and the remaining two sections will be balloted in the near future. During the year the property was heavily top-dressed and some 250 acres were sown in permanent grass. Fifty acres of chou moellier were sown for winter feed. Further stumping has been carried out, and a water-supply has been provided on the Paulsen Road area which will provide for domestic use as well as for stock on two sections. Fencing is nearing completion, as also is the building programme consisting of three houses and a wool-shed. It is anticipated charges will shortly be fixed on the two sections held on wages. Commissioner of Crown Lands, New Plymouth Development blocks in this district are nearly all under the control of the Superintendent of Land Development at Te Kuiti. During the year arrangements were finalized for the acquisition of seven properties comprising 3,163 acres which will subdivide into eighteen dairying and four sheep units. In some cases possession will not be obtained until later this year, but arrangements have been made for the improvement programme to be carried out in the meantime. The lands purchased are of first-class dairying-land with one or two mixed farms, and as they were fairly well improved the further improvements now required will be buildings, water-supplies, and extra fencing. Blocks in course of development by this office are : Ball Road, on Ball Road and Joll Road, four miles and a half from Patea. Area, 436 acres. Subdivided, five dairy-farms. Although possession is not expected before

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