MAR. 11.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 843

Section 3, Block XIV : Area 656 acres; capital value, £660; half-yearly rent, £13 4s.
About 130 acres terraced flats; fair soil; balance broken pastoral country; covered with birch bush. Altitude, 1,440 ft. to 3,800 ft. Well watered. Distant about thirteen miles and a half from Glenhope Railway-station—eight miles main road, and five miles and a half bridle-track and unformed road.

Murchison County.—Rotoroa Survey District.

Section 1, Block I : Area, 695 acres ; capital value, £690; half-yearly rent, £13 16s.
About 75 acres terraced flats of fair quality, balance broken pastoral country; covered with birch bush. Altitude, 1,430 ft. to 3,770 ft. Well watered. Distant about fourteen miles from Glenhope Railway-station—eight miles main road and six miles bridle-track.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this sixth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

H. D. BELL,
For Minister of Lands.

Opening Lands in Auckland Land District for Sale or Selection.

LIVERPOOL, Governor.

IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities conferred upon me by the Land Act, 1908, I, Arthur William de Brito Savile, Earl of Liverpool, the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, having received the report of the Under-Secretary in this behalf, as provided by section one hundred and fifty-four of the said Act, do hereby declare that the lands described in the Schedule hereto shall be open for sale or selection on Friday, the twenty-sixth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and fifteen; and also that the lands mentioned in the said Schedule may, at the option of the applicant, be purchased for cash, or be selected for occupation with right of purchase, or on renewable lease; and I do hereby also fix the prices at which the said lands shall be sold, occupied, or leased, as mentioned in the said Schedule hereto, and do declare that the said lands shall be sold, occupied, or leased under and subject to the provisions of the Land Act, 1908.

SCHEDULE.

AUCKLAND LAND DISTRICT.—HAURAKI PLAINS.

FIRST-CLASS LAND.

Ohinemuri County.—Waihou Survey District.

SECOND-CLASS LAND.

Ohinemuri County.—Waihou Survey District.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

These sections are situated near Waikaka, on the Hauraki Plains, and lie between the Piako River and lands opened for selection during the last two years. The road access is from Morrinsville Railway-station, twenty-five miles distant, by the Morrinsville-Waitakaruru Road, which is formed for dray traffic the whole distance. The same road leads to Waitakaruru on the Hauraki Gulf, sixteen miles distant, and, with the exception of one mile, which is under construction, is formed for dray traffic. The Waikaka Tramway Road, which forms the southern boundary of the block, leads to the Piako River, a distance of one mile and a half from the eastern boundary. On this road there is a tram-line, which has been ballasted with clay throughout, and at present is being widened and raised so as to form a permanent road. At this point of the river there is a wharf known as Patetonga Landing, to which launches from Thames, twenty-three miles distant, convey goods at regular intervals. There is also road access from the Ohinewai Railway-station by the Kaihere Road, a distance of twenty-four miles from the Morrinsville Road. At present the Ngarua Road is under construction towards the Piako River, whilst a dredge is engaged in dredging a channel and forming a road towards the block from the river end. The actual roads within the block, Waikaka Tramway, Mangawhero, and Ngarua Roads, are not formed for dray traffic, but stock can be driven over them. These roads will, however, be constructed in due course.

All the sections consist of partly drained swamp land, on most of which English grass was sown in small areas after a fire which burnt the country last year. The sections to the north of the Ngarua Road are good on the road frontage, but become poor towards the back line, where the peat is deep, and covered with wiwi, flax, and raupo, resting on timber and clay.

Sections 4 to 9, Block IX, consist of rich peat country, resting on clay and timber, covered with rough feed, toitoi, flax, and occasional manuka. Sections 52 to 54, Block XIII, consist of rich peat on the frontage of the Mangawhero Road, but are poorer towards the back line. The country is covered with flax, raupo, and rough feed.

Section 55 consists of rich peat country, resting on timber and clay. Sections 56 and 57 are poorer, the peat being deeper. These sections are covered with wiwi, flax, and rough feed.

The sections are all situated about 15 ft. to 20 ft. above sea-level, and are also above all flood-levels.

All necessary main drains have been constructed, whilst the roads as before mentioned are under construction. There are main outlet drains along each road, and, in addition, there are large outlet drains on the northern boundary of Sections 1, 2, and 3, and on the back boundary of Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and also on the back boundary between Sections 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57, Block XIII. These outlet drains serve as outlets for several creeks that rise in the adjoining hills, and, with the exception of the Waikaka Tramway Road drain, carry fresh water throughout the year.

At Waikaka, or, as it is now known, Patetonga, there is a store and post-office, which has telephonic communication with Thames over a private line. A village has been subdivided here, and will be offered for sale at an early date. A school is being erected in Patetonga Village, and should be completed within a few months. At present all cream from the district is shipped by launch from Patetonga Landing, but creamery sites have been laid off at both Patetonga and Ngarua. At Ngarua a village has been subdivided, and will in future be known as Kaihere Village. These subdivisions will be offered for sale at an early date. At Ngarua there is a temporary school, but a building has been promised by the Education Board.

Section 13, Block XVI, Piaka Survey District, is situated on the Morrinsville-Waitakaruru Road, between Kaihere and Patetonga Villages, distant about a mile from the former and three and a half miles from the latter. Comprises about 25 acres of shallow peat swamp, covered with wiwi, raupo, and flax; whilst the balance is low-lying undulating country, covered with fern and manuka. All ploughable. Permanent water in two small gullies that intersect the section.

IMPROVEMENTS.

The improvements which are included in the capital value of the sections are as follows:

Block IX, Waihou Survey District.

Section 1—Half share in 22 chains of drain on northern boundary. Section 2—Half share in 26½ chains of drain on northern boundary. Section 3—Half share in 33½ chains of drain on northern boundary. Section 4—Half share in 26½ chains of drain on southern boundary. Section 5—Half share in 26½ chains of drain on southern boundary. Section 6—Half share in 27 chains of drain on southern boundary. Section 7—Half share in 26½ chains of drain on northern boundary. Section 8—Half share in 26½ chains of drain on northern boundary. Section 9—Half share in 27 chains of drain on northern boundary.