G.—l

8

WELLINGTON. Lands offered and disposed of during the Year. —The principal areas of Crown lands thrown open for disposal and selected or exchanged during the year are as under:—

It is proposed to complete the survey of Kaitieke Block, and to draw the attention of the inland settlers of Waikato, Taupo, &c, to its capabilities. In addition to the foregoing, the following lands were reopened : Thirty-seven forfeited sections in the Palmerston North Knights of Labour, Wanganui United Bast, Marton Nos. 1 and 2, Hall, Stirling, and other blocks, and in Pongaroa, Mangamahu, Pa Creek, and other village settlements, comprising an area of 6,460 acres, of which 6,078 acres have been reselected; also twenty-eight revalued sections in the Makuri district, of an area of 12,576 acres ; and six revalued sections in the Momahaki Village Settlement, of an area of 466 acres. All of the revalued sections have been reselected, with the exception of six sections in the Makuri district, of an area of 2,618 acres, which are about to be reopened at a reduced valuation. Four lots of totara timber, comprising an area of 601 acres, in the Bketahuna Forest Eeserve, were offered by auction, with the result that three, containing 441 acres, realised £7,115 12s. The unsold portions of the White Eock Block, in South-east Wairarapa district, opened for selection last October, and of the Kaiparoro, Kaitangata, and Te Mare Blocks, west of Carterton, which were opened for selection in September, 1893, were all recently withdrawn from sale, with a view to their being more fully explored, back-lines defined, road-access provided, and new schemes of subdivision submitted for approval by the Land Board prior to being reopened for selection. The total number of formal applications for land received and dealt with during the year was as follows :— System Number of Number of " ' Applications received. Applications approved. Cash ... ... ... ... ... ... 71 49 Occupation with right of purchase ... ... ... 459 72 Lease in perpetuity* ... ... ... ... 389 140 Village homestead, lease in perpetuity ... ... 86 21 Perpetual lease ... ... ... ... ... 21 21 Miscellaneous licenses ... ... ... ... 13 13 1,039 316 The following summary of land transactions gives fuller particulars of sales, &c. :—

Date. Name of Block. I District. Area offered. Number of Sections selected. Area disposed of up to 31st March, 1897, I Surveyed. April 28, 1896... Aug. 12, „ ... Te Ngaue ... ... Momahaki ... I Ohtew^ua-Otamakapua-Pakihikura Apiti Wainuioru ... ... Wainuioru ... I 1,546 7,462 23 7,462 Dec. 9, „ ... Mar. 24, 1897... 654J 5,630 3 5 654| 2,977April 28, 1896... Unsurveyed. Kaitieke ... ... Kaitieke „,, ., -o , ( Kaiwaka White Eock ... J Haurangi ... 46,550 Nil. Oct. 14, „ ... I 13,700 2 3,000

Transacts >ns during the Year. Area i 31st ander Lease at March, 1897. Class of Selection. Eevenue received during the Year. Number. Area. Number. Area. A. B. P. 2,313 3 21 32 0 8 8 0 25 A. B. P. £ a. d. Cash, rural „ suburban ... „ town 9 8 32 Deferred-payment holders... Deferred payment made freehold ... Perpetual-lease holders Perpetual lease made freehold ... Occupation with right of purchase 49 2,354 0 14 75 17,498 0 19 J 2,859 10 10 1 +304 10 10 J 3,932 1 6 J +1,918 4 0 9,420 18 5 26 19 4,489 9,105 3 32 2 28 390 156,041 2 25 73 34,741 2 26 31,523 2 6 72 20,392 1 28 321 90,009 2 15 3,230 6 6 * Inclusive of farm-bo: :estead and improved-farm selei :tions. t Endowment revenue.