18

APPLICATIONS for DEPASTURAGE LICENSES, in accordance with the Regulations under the Waste Lands Act, 1858, received by the Commissioner of Crown Lands during the Months of FEBRUARY and MARCH, 1862.

C. and G. R. KEENE—District, the Amuri.
Bounded on the north, by the River Clarence; eastward, by the River Conway, and Messrs. Keene\'s Run; south, by Messrs. Keene\'s Run and the source of the Towy; and on the west, by Sherwood Forest.
Estimated extent, under 10,000 acres.
Deposit paid, £15.

I. M. HILL—District, the Buller.
Bounded on the West, by the River Mangles to its junction with the Tutaki, then by a range of wooded hills on the left bank of the Tutaki to the forks about eight miles from the junction; on the south, by the forks of the river or the large hill situated between them; on the east, by the wooded hills situated on the right bank of the Tutaki, and the left bank of the Tiraumea crossing that stream about two miles from its junction with the Tutaki, and continuing on the right bank of the Tiraumea and Tutaki and the left bank of the Mangles to the fern hills highest up the valley; on the north, by the River Mangles at its junction with the branch flowing from Mount Murchison, including all the grass land within the above boundaries.
Estimated extent, 5,000 acres.
Deposit paid, £10.

JOHN SMITH—District, the Wai-au.
Bounded on the northward, by the River Wai-au; on the eastward, by the Montrose Run; on the southward, by the crest of the range; and on the westward, by the run applied for by Mr. Caverhill.
Estimated acreage, under 10,000 acres.
Deposit paid, £15.

JOHN SMITH—District, the Amuri.
Bounded on the northward, by Mr. Carter\'s Run on the Clarence; eastward, by the bridle track over Jollie\'s Pass; southward, by the boundary of Messrs. Atkinson and De la Pasture\'s runs; westward, by a line drawn from Mr. Atkinson\'s boundary line at the back of Section No. 9, Hanner Plain, to a point on Mr. Carter\'s boundary line, so as to include 8,000 acres.
Deposit paid, £15.

J. A. HARLEY—District, the Buller, or Tiraumea.
Bounded on the south, by the northern slopes of the Spenser Mountains; on the east, by the dividing ranges between the Rotoroa and the Tiraumea Rivers; and on the west, by the dividing ranges.
Extent, between 5,000 and 6,000 acres.
Deposit paid, £10

ALFRED DOMETT,
Commissioner.
Land Office, Nelson,
March 4, 1862.

REPORT OF THE CENTRAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.

March 6, 1862.
To D. SINCLAIR, Esq.,
Chairman of the Central Board of Education, Nelson.

SIR—As in my last return I reported fully on the general state of the schools under my inspection, and as my remarks also included the first quarter of the present half-yearly Returns, it seems unnecessary on the present occasion to do more than call attention to the few points which require explanation.

It will be observed that there is in the September Quarter a marked falling off in numbers as compared with the previous Quarter; although this is afterwards more than compensated in the December Returns. This is partially explained by the absence of returns from Motupipi and Collingwood: in the first case owing to the temporary suspension of the school during the removal of the building to a more convenient situation; in the other, through the neglect of the master, who has since been dismissed. If the numbers in these schools at the date of the last returns were assumed as still correct, the deficiency would be trifling; and the yearly increase in December corresponds nearly with that of the previous year, showing an aver-