Feb. 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 657

and correct statement of all the transactions of the bank during the year, and that the balance in the bank and cash in hand amount to £7,217 8s. 5d.

ROBERT F. CUTHBERTSON,
JAS. E. HANNAH,
} Auditors.

JOSEPH STOCK, Vice-President.
P. S. BRODIE,
P. L. GILKISON,
C. J. BROAD,
FRED. W. WADE,
JOHN MATHESON,
HENRY WILSON,
ROBT. TAPPER,
} Trustees.

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.

Assets.
£ s. d.
To Amount invested on mortgages, &c. .. 30,789 5 6
Freehold property .. .. .. 1,000 0 0
Cash in National Bank of New Zealand .. 937 9 0
Deposits in National Bank of New Zealand 5,978 14 8
Cash in hand .. .. .. 301 4 9
———
£39,006 13 11

To Balance .. .. .. .. £3,229 0 4

Liabilities.
£ s. d.
By Amount due depositors .. .. .. 35,777 13 7
Balance .. .. .. .. 3,229 0 4
———
£39,006 13 11

R. H. BRODRICK, Manager.

We do hereby certify that to the best of our belief the above is a true and correct statement of the assets and liabilities of the Invercargill Savings-bank on the 31st December, 1909.

JOSEPH STOCK, Vice-President.
P. L. GILKISON,
C. J. BROAD,
P. S. BRODIE,
FRED. W. WADE,
JOHN MATHESON,
HENRY WILSON,
ROBT. TAPPER,
} Trustees.

———

Tenders.

Mines Department,
Wellington, 23rd February, 1910.

THE following list of successful and unsuccessful tenders is published for general information.

R. McKENZIE,
Minister of Mines.

———

FORMATION OF PIPE-LINE CONTRACT.—KUMARA WATER-RACE EXTENSION.

Accepted.
£ s. d
M. Giffney and party, Kumara .. .. 909 16 2

Declined.
Drake and Mordaunt, Greymouth .. .. 1,959 8 0
McConnon and H. and J. Steel, Dillmanstown 1,516 8 0
H. Morgan, Kumara .. .. 1,419 17 8
Gilbert and O’Flaherty, Kumara .. .. 1,197 16 8

———

“The Statistics Act, 1908.”—Third Interim Return of Corn and Green Crops, 1909–10.—Notice No. 1381.

Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists,
Wellington, New Zealand, 23rd February, 1910.

THE following is an estimate of the area under certain crops, and the condition of the crops, on the 10th February 1910:—

WHEAT.
Area for Threshing.
Year. Acres.
1909–10 .. .. .. 311,000
1908–9 .. .. .. 252,391
———
Increase .. .. .. 58,609

OATS.
Area for Threshing.
1909–10 .. .. .. 377,000
1908–9 .. .. .. 406,908
———
Decrease .. .. .. 29,908

BARLEY.
Area for Threshing.
1909–10 .. .. .. 41,500
1908–9 .. .. .. 48,853
———
Decrease .. .. .. 7,353

RYEGRASS.
Area for Seed.
1909–10 .. .. .. 56,550
1908–9 .. .. .. 50,126
———
Increase .. .. .. 6,424

COCKSFOOT.
Area for Seed.
Year. Acres.
1909–10 .. .. .. 29,500
1908–9 .. .. .. 32,705
———
Decrease .. .. .. 3,205

POTATOES.
1909–10 .. .. .. 30,500
1908–9 .. .. .. 29,919
———
Increase .. .. .. 581

TURNIPS.
1909–10 .. .. .. 524,550
1908–9 .. .. .. 530,636
———
Decrease .. .. .. 6,086

RAPE.
1909–10 .. .. .. 225,035
1908–9 .. .. .. 220,240
———
Increase .. .. .. 4,795

There is a large increase in the area of peas in Marlborough, and of maize in Auckland and Taranaki.

The grain-crops in most districts have ripened with extreme rapidity, and the bulk is now in the stock or stack, while a large quantity is already threshed. The yields are, in general, very disappointing, considering the early promise of an unusually abundant harvest. The hot winds in December not only caused premature ripening, but also injured much of the straw, so that the rain at the beginning of January did not benefit the crops nearly as much as was hoped. Caterpillars did damage in several districts, and the small birds levied their usual toll. Hessian fly appeared in several localities, but it was not serious. Continued absence of rain in Southland is calculated to have diminished the yield of oats by 15 per cent., and in Central Otago from the same cause the crops are a failure.

On the other hand, there are in all the principal districts many excellent crops; the wet weather at the end of January caused little loss in yield, and the discoloration of the grain and seeds is much less than was feared. There is, however, a large proportion of small and shrivelled grain. The yields have now to be set down at much lower estimates than those formed from the appearance of the crops at the dates of the December and January reports. Threshing is not sufficiently advanced to enable the actual yields to be computed, but the present estimates may be confidently expected to be realised.

The rains in January were of incalculable benefit to the pastures and fodder and root crops, and the prospects for autumn and winter feed are highly satisfactory. Oats sown for winter and spring feeding have made good progress.

Potato-disease has reappeared, but only in the earlier districts is the damage, so far, of much magnitude. The various pests and diseases of the turnip have not yet manifested themselves to any alarming extent, but in some localities rape has been badly blighted.

The appended table gives the figures for the several districts. It must be noted that the prospects of the crops are based upon the condition of the crops on 10th February, and are expressed in average yield per acre, as being the simplest form.

THOS. MACKENZIE,
Minister of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce, and Tourist and Health Resorts.