154,254 acres broken up but not under crop) in 1893 was 9,713,745 acres. Of thirty-four millions of acres of Crown lands remaining for disposal, fifteen millions are open grass or fern country and ten millions forest. The rural lands of the colony can be bought from the Crown for cash. They can also be held on deferred payment or perpetual leases (with restriction of area) or in some parts on pastoral leases. The largest freehold estates are held in the Middle Island. The total extent of occupied holdings over one acre in 1891 was 31,867,505 acres, of which 12,410,242 acres were freehold of the occupier, 6,987,287 leased from private individuals or corporations, and 12,469,976 acres rented from the Crown for pastoral purposes. The following table shows the number of holdings of various sizes, and num. ber of acres held in freehold and leasehold, exclusive of Crown lands held for pastoral purposes in 1891 :-- 1 Leased by occupiers from others than the Crown. At the census of 1891 there were in New Zealand 68,607 persons engaged in agricultural and pastoral pursuits, of whom 25,826 were farmers, 14,286 relatives assisting on farms, 13,749 farm labourers, 1,426 runholders, and 6,427 station hands. The acreage and produce for each of the principal crops are given as follows: Year The production of butter for the year 1890 amounted to 16,310,012 lbs., and of cheese to 9,975,698 lbs. The live stock of the colony consisted in April, 1891, of 211,040 horses, 831,831 cattle, 18,227,186 sheep, 308,812 pigs, and 1,790,070 head of poultry. The greatest increase of live stock in recent years has been in sheep. They numbered in 1858, 1,523,324; 1864, 4,937,273; 1874,11,704,853; 1886, 16,580,388; and in 1891, 18,227,186. The following table shows the statistics of the leading manufactories and works in the colony The largest items in the estimated value of manufactures and produce in 1890 were: meat freezing and preserving, 1,464,6597.; tanning, wool scouring, &c., 1,026,3497.; grain mills, 991,8127.; saw mills, 832,9597.; boot factories, 403,7367.; iron and brass works, 403,6357. II. MINES AND MINERALS. The following table shows the quantity and value of minerals produced for ten years ending December 31, 1892. 1883 16,826 3,785 31 804 1884 24,914 5,125 921,797 948,615 903,569 811,100 384 1,155 421,764 210,882 6,518 336,606 248,374 993,352 318 809 480,831 240,416 6,393 342,151 229,946| 1885 16,624 3,169 666 5,289 602 1,716 511,063 255,531 5,876 299,770 237,371| 1886 12,108| 2,946| 62 1,784) 328 1,316 534,353 267,176 4,920 257,653 227,079 1887 20,809 3,453 134 3,999 305 895 558,620 279,310 6,791 362,449 203,869 1888 403 71 376 6,246 1,085 2,404 613,895 306,947 8,482 389,933 201,219 1889 24,105 4,043 493 5,319 1,080 2,569 586,445 293,222 7,519 329,590 203,211 1890 32,637 6,162 515 11,121 482 1,004 637,397 349,936 7,438 378,563 193,193 1891 28,023 5,151 413 4,950 1,153 2,634 668,794 379,738 8,388 437,056 251,996 1,007,488 1892 22,053 3,996 364 4,900 521 1,239 673,315 377,427 8,705 517,678 238,079 954,744 Commerce. 801,066 808,549 773,438 are admitted duty Luxuries, such as For a very large Only a small proportion of the imports free. Nearly all classes of imports are taxed. spirits, wine, and tobacco, are highly rated. number of dutiable articles (including clothing) other than these the rates of duty are 25, 20, and 15 per cent. ad valorem. Ounces Value in £ The value of the trade is shown in the accompanying table :- The values of the principal imports and exports in 1892 are shown in the following table : The expansion of the export trade in wool, grain, frozen meat, kauri gum, and timber, in the last four decennial periods, as shown in the following table: The production of butter for the year 1890 amounted to 16,310,012 lbs., and of cheese to 9,975,698 lbs. The live stock of the colony consisted in April, 1891, of 211,040 horses, 831,831 cattle, 18,227,186 sheep, 308,812 pigs, and 1,790,070 head of poultry. The greatest increase of live stock in recent years has been in sheep. They numbered in 1858, 1,523,324; 1864, 4,937,273; 1874,11,704,853; 1886, 16,580,388; and in 1891, 18,227,186. The following table shows the statistics of the leading manufactories and works in the colony : The largest items in the estimated value of manufactures and produce in 1890 were meat freezing and preserving, 1,464,6597.; tanning, wool scouring, &c., 1,026,3497.; grain mills, 991,8127.; saw mills, 832,9597.; boot factories, 403,7361.; iron and brass works, 403,6357. II. MINES AND MINERALS. The following table shows the quantity and value of minerals produced for ten years ending December 31, 1892. 31 804 921,797 948,615 903,569 811,100 801,066 808,549 773,438 1883 16,826 3,785 384 1,155 421,764 210,882 6,518 336,606 248,374 993,352 1884 24,914 5,125 318 809 480,831 240,416 6,393 342,151 229,946 1885 16,624 3,169 666 5,289 602 1,716 511,063 255,531 5,876 299,770 237,371 1886 12,108 2,946 62 1,784 328 1,316 534,353 267,176 4,920 257,653 227,079 1887 20,809 3,453 134 3,999 305 895 558,620 279,310 6,791 362,449 203,869 1888 403 71 376 6,246 1,085 2,404 613,895 306,947 8,482 389,933 201,219 1889 24,105 4,043 493 5,319, 1,080 2,569 586,445 293,222 7,519 329,590 203,211 1890 32,637 6,162 515 11,121 482 1,004 637,397 349,936 7,438 378,563 193,193|| 1891 28,023 5,151 413 4,950 1,153 2,634 668,794 379,738 8,388 437,056 251,996 1,007,488 1892 22,053 3,996 364 4,900 521 1,239 673,315 377,427 8,705 517,678 238,079 Commerce. 954,744 Only a small proportion of the imports are admitted duty free. Nearly all classes of imports are taxed. Luxuries, such as spirits, wine, and tobacco, are highly rated. For a very large number of dutiable articles (including clothing) other than these the rates of duty are 25, 20, and 15 per cent. ad valorem. The value of the trade is shown in the accompanying table : The values of the principal imports and exports in 1892 are shown in the following table : The expansion of the export trade in wool, grain, frozen meat, kauri gum, and timber, in the last four decennial periods, as shown in the following table: |