May 9.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 483

REMARKS TO PRECEDING TABLES.

The extent of land in cultivation, including grass-sown land, and land broken up not in crop, but exclusive of gardens and orchards, in February, 1889, amounted to 7,670,167 acres, against 7,284,752 in 1888, an increase of 385,415 acres. 81·87 per cent. of the land was in artificial grass, against 81·50 in 1888; and 10·35 per cent. was in grain crops, against 10·14 per cent. in the previous year. The total area in grain crops amounted to 793,866 acres, of which 402,307 acres were in the Canterbury District, and 284,363 in Otago.

362,153 acres were under wheat at the beginning of 1889. This was an increase of only 4,794 acres on the number in 1888. The produce in 1889 was estimated at 8,770,246 bushels, being at the average rate of 24·22 bushels per acre. This, as compared with the estimated crop in 1888, was a decrease of 653,813 bushels in quantity, and of 2·15 bushels per acre on the average rate.

The total average consumption of wheat in New Zealand for a period of eleven years, 1877–87, amounted to 8·45 bushels per head of the population, including Maoris. This includes the requirement for seed purposes, estimated at 2 bushels per acre. The food consumption, after deducting the necessary quantity for seed, averaged 7·38 bushels per head. Assuming that the area under wheat for the next harvest is about the same as at the last harvest, the wheat crop of 1889, viz., 8,770,246 bushels, should give a surplus of 3,200,000 bushels for export, after supplying all the requirements of the colony.

In connection with this it may be interesting to notice that the wheat crop in New South Wales was estimated at only 1,450,423 bushels in 1889, against 4,695,849 in 1888, the yield per acre in 1889 being only 4·74 bushels. This crop, therefore, is less than the quantity required for consumption in that colony by about 5,700,000 bushels.

The number of acres under oats for grain was greater than that in 1888 by 30,751, the areas having been 367,225 and 336,474 acres. The produce in 1889 was estimated at 10,977,065 bushels, being an increase on the quantity in the previous year of 464,946 bushels. The average quantity per acre was, however, only 29·89 bushels in 1889, against 31·24 bushels in 1888.

There was a considerable increase in the area of land under barley, viz., 45,027 acres in 1889, against 27,912 in 1888. The estimated produce in 1889 was 1,402,537 bushels, at the average rate of 31·15 bushels per acre, against 760,874 bushels, or an average rate of 27·26 bushels per acre in 1888.

The quantity of land planted with potatoes amounted to 26,331 acres, the crop being estimated at 133,682 tons, equal to 5·08 tons per acre. As compared with 1888 this is an increase of 993 acres, but a decrease of 4,378 tons in the crop.

The land in hops was 563 acres, which yielded 6,210cwt., an average of 11·03cwt. to the acre.

The land in tobacco is estimated to render 28,500lb. of dried leaf.

Besides the agricultural statistics, the following information as to the number of dairy cows was also obtained at the collection: Auckland, 45,314; Taranaki, 23,569; Hawke's Bay, 9,054; Wellington, 26,936; Marlborough, 2,702; Nelson, 7,863; Westland, 1,692; Canterbury, 29,065; Otago, 43,019. Total, 189,214.

The system of making ensilage for winter keep appears to be gaining ground in the colony, as the returns show 296 silos or ensilage stacks.

Wm. R. E. BROWN, Registrar-General.

Reward of £10,000 offered for the Discovery of New Gold-fields.—Amended Conditions.

Mines Department,
Wellington, 30th April, 1888.

REWARDS of £10,000 are offered for the discovery of new goldfields, upon the amended conditions set forth hereunder.

G. F. RICHARDSON,
Minister of Mines.

AMENDED CONDITIONS.

1. The maximum sum offered as a reward for any proved discovery of a new goldfield in accordance with these conditions is £5,000 for the North Island, and £5,000 for the Middle Island.

2. The newly-discovered goldfield must be situated not less than forty miles from any existing goldfield or any existing workings.

3. No reward shall be payable until 50,000 ounces of gold have been produced from the newly-discovered goldfield within three years from the date of its being registered.

4. Any person discovering new gold-workings, and being desirous of obtaining the reward, shall immediately forward a written report of such discovery, with full particulars, to the Warden or Resident Magistrate of the district within which such discovery shall be situated, and the Warden or Resident Magistrate shall forthwith register the report as an application for reward.

5. No prospecting will be allowed upon Native land without a prospecting license authorising the person therein named, with the consent of the owner of the land, to prospect, in accordance with the provisions of sections one hundred and thirty-five to one hundred and thirty-seven of “The Mining Act, 1886,” inclusive.

No reward shall be paid for any discovery that may be made upon Native land without the consent of the Native owners and the approval of the Minister of Mines.

Native Land Court Notices.

"The Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act, 1881," and
"The Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act 1881 Amendment Act, 1888."

Native Land Court Office,
Wellington, 6th May, 1889.

NOTICE is hereby given that a Trust Commissioner will, under the authority and for the purposes of the said Acts, hold a Court at the Native Land Court Office, Wellington, on Thursday, the 30th day of May, 1889, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, for investigating the cases mentioned in the Schedule hereunder, at which time and place all persons interested in the said cases, and having objections to any of the dealings, are hereby notified to attend.

W. BRIDSON,
Registrar.

SCHEDULE.
PictON, SECTION 225.

89-56. MORTGAGE dated 18th March, 1889, from Daniel Ellison to Thomas Burt.

TE ARO PA, LOT 11.

89-58. Transfer dated 2nd March, 1889, from Ihaka te Rou to Samuel Luke and others.

POLHILL'S GULLY, BLOCK XV.

89-60. Transfer dated 16th April, 1889, from Marangai Ahipene to Frederick James Davies.

Land Transfer Act Notices.

NOTICE is hereby given that the parcel of land herein-after described will be brought under the provisions of “The Land Transfer Act, 1885,” unless caveat be lodged forbidding the same on or before the 10th day of June, 1889.

2001. THE NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANTILE AGENCY COMPANY (LIMITED).—472 acres 2 roods, part of Section 149, Sandon. In occupation of Stephen R. Turner. Diagrams may be inspected at this office.

Dated this 8th day of May, 1889, at the Lands Registry Office, Wellington.

Geo. B. DAVY,
District Land Registrar.

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NOTICE is hereby given that the parcel of land herein-after described will be brought under the provisions of “The Land Transfer Act, 1885,” unless caveat forbidding the same be lodged at this office within one calendar month after the date of the Gazette containing this notice.

Name of Applicant: GEORGE STEPHEN BRIDGE, of Waverley, Farmer. Description of Land: Allotment No. 3 of Section No. 44, Borough of Patea. Area: 16 perches. Unoccupied.

Diagrams may be inspected at this office.

Dated this 6th day of May, 1889, at the Lands Registry Office, New Plymouth.

W. STUART,
District Land Registrar.

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Private Advertisements.

THE Partnership heretofore existing between the undersigned as Builders and Contractors has been dissolved by mutual consent as from the 1st day of May, 1889.

Dated this 3rd day of May, 1889.

FRANCIS DUNCAN THOMPSON.
DONALD McLEAN.

Witness to both signatures—Andrew Wylie, Managing Clerk to Messrs. Brown, Skerrett, and Dean, Solicitors, Wellington.

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