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Waihuka, at A\ aiiniha, 2,539 acres, on which early settlement is not intended. Area is subject to mineral deficiency, and, in addition to pasture improvement considerable fencing, burning, clearing, and grassing is intended. During the year, in addition to ragwort, rabbit, and fern control, fair progress was made with clearing and grassing. Waihuku, at Morrinsville, 1,053 acres. Development completed and allotted as ten dairy units. Wairama, at Kiwitahi, 685 acres. Objective : Four dairy-farms and one sheepfarm. Dairy-farms to be settled from July, 1949, to July, 1951, with the sheep unit settled in March, 1952. Development programme : Roading, scrub-cutting, grassing, fencing, water-supply, and buildings. Progress : During the year roading was completed, 100 chains fencing completed, and 130 acres of the undeveloped area cleared. Ex-serviceman manager, with promise of a section. Waitanguru, at Mairoa, balance of area, 11,300 acres, which should provide eight sheep-farms for settlement between 1950 and 1952. Remainder bush and broken country, settlement of which is at present indefinite. Development programme : Clearing, grassing, internal roading, fencing, and pasture improvement. Progress : Building and fencing programme progressed during the year, and two farms will be ballotted on wages in July, 1949. Walton, at Walton, 422 acres. Objective : Four dairy-farms in July, 1949Development programme : Internal roading, drainage, fencing, water-supply, and buildings. Progress : Although buildings have been delayed, construction is now under way, roading has commenced, and fencing is almost completed. Only a limited watersupply is available due to shortage of piping. All sections will be settled in July, 1949. Ex-serviceman manager with promise of a section. Wharepapa, at Te Awamutu, balance of area, 1,337 acres. Objective : Two sheep-farms in July, 1949, and one sheep-farm in 1950, as well as one mixed unit in 1952. Development programme: Clearing, grassing, fencing, water-supply, and buildings. Progress: The buildings and water-supply programme is approaching completion, while further progress was made with fencing and grassing during the year Two sheep-farms will be settled on permanent tenures in July, 1949. Three ex-servicemen on wages, with promises of sections. Whataroa, at Te Kuiti, balance of area, 489 acres, being remaining area after settlement of eight dairy sections in 1946-47. Residue is largely swamp on which extensive drainage by Mangapu Drainage Board will be required before settlement can take place. In the meantime, work will consist of maintenance of drains and fences and care of stock. Whatauri, at Te Awamutu, 566 acres. Development completed and allotted as four mixed units. Rotorua Development District The past season has been an excellent one as regards production, and the high quality of herds and flocks has been maintained. The improved supply of fertilizer and fencing-wire has speeded up settlement, but this has absorbed the available supplies of water-piping, which is now very difficult to obtain. Although there has been an improvement in the building situation, it is still far from satisfactory . During the year full-scale development of virgin land was resumed after the break occasioned by the war, and in this district 5,870 acres were sown in permanent pasture. The grassing of further areas will be undertaken on an extensive scale next year to provide not only farms for ex-servicemen and later civilians, but also to give vitallyneeded protection, by way of grassed fire-breaks, to the large State forest plantations in the Rotorua and Taupo districts.

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