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The Mohaka-Kahungunu scheme extends from Waihua along the main road and railway to Raupunga, near the Mohaka Viaduct, and thence inland to Putere. Here there are thirty-four dairying units and nineteen farms where sheep and run cattle are farmed. With a ready sale for surplus stock in Hawke's Bay and at Wairoa, good ruling prices brought record cash receipts. Throughout the Mohaka and Kahungunu schemes there are ten accounts in credit or with balances of less than £lOO. Of these, leases have been recommended by the Native Land Court to issue. The incidence of drought effect was predicted in last year's report in the northern area (and the actual results are shown in the accompanying table). The southern area has nearly regained the production level of the 1944-45 season, but the northern total, 240,2881b. butterfat, is only slightly over last year's. 1944-45. 1945-46. 1946-47. Southern — lb. lb. lb. Mohaka-Kahungunu .. 96,101 57,502 83,852 Mahia .. .. 43,604 40,816 48,864 139,705 98,318 132,716 Northern— Tuparoa .. .. 39,517 22,743 28,580 Poroporo .. .. 17,679 13,288 18,069 TeAraroa .. .. 60,385 45,360 45,957 Wharekahika .. 34,723 27,444 . 26,940 Waiapu .. .. 190,567 127,033 120,742 342,871 235,868 240,288 AOTEA NATIVE LAND COURT DISTRICT Taranaki Area. —One additional unit near Opunake with an area of 52 acres was brought under development during the year. A total of nineteen Maoris are now farming an aggregate area of 1,850 acres. The total butterfat-production was 125,008 lb., compared with 123,655 lb. for the previous year, and 34 bales of wool were produced from three farms. The chief problem experienced in bringing lands in Taranaki into full production is the clearing and subsequent control of gorse and ragwort growth. The successful control of noxious-weed growth will require a sustained effort by the Taranaki farmers for some years to come, as in a number of cases the areas are too small to permit sheep to be grazed and at the same time to carry a dairy herd which would provide a reasonable living for the occupier. Wanganui Central Area.—During the year the number of units increased from forty-one to forty-four by the addition of a property of 137 acres at Ohingaiti, a small dairy unit of 20 acres at Wangaehu, and a sheep unit of 430 acres at Utiku. The total area farmed by the forty-four units is 4,571 acres. The aggregate butterfat-production was 157,552 lb. and the wool-clip from these units totalled 82 bales. Wangaehu. —The general area at Wangaehu consists of 196 acres, and operations have been confined to maintaining the 120 acres in grass and controlling second-growth gorse by careful attention to rotational grazing. The remainder of the block largely consists of heavily infested gorse country. Rangataua Bush. —On the expiration of the licence to split birch fencing-timber at Rangataua, arrangements were made for the Department to continue its operations under direct licence from the State Forest Service, and deliveries will be resumed as soon as certain roading is completed.

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