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Table No. 2.—Comparative Statement of Gross Revenue for Years 1897-98 and 1898-99.

The balances at credit in the various Eeceivers of Land Eevenues' Ordinary Deposit Accounts were as follows :— £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 997 0 5 New Plymouth ... ... ... ... ... ... 439 11 6 Napier ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 284 3 6 Gisborne ... ... ... ... ... ... 314 14 11 Wellington . . ... ... ... ... ... 883 14 6 Blenheim ... ... ... ... ... ... 151 5 11 Nelson ... ... ... ... . ... ... 505 0 2 Ahaura ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 9 0 Eeefton ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 19 0 Westport ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 4 6 Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... ... 30 1 0 Christchurch ... ... ... ... ... ... 45,692 5 4 Dunedin ... ... ... ... ... ... 669 7 7 Inveroargill ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,145 9 2 £51,195 6 6 I need scarcely state that the reason why the amount at credit in the Christchurch Eeceiver's account is so large is on account of the disposal of the Waikakahi Estate so near to the end of the financial year, and not sufficient time elapsing to allow it being brought to its normal state by the 31st March. The balances at credit in the various Receivers' books of "thirds" and "fourths" due local bodies in the under-mentioned land districts were as follows : — £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,731 18 5 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... 4,099 0 2 Hawke's Bay, Napier ... ... ... .. ... 4,180 19 6 Wellington * ... ... ... ... ... ... 14,096 2 6 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... 150 4 0 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,166 16 2 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... 44 4 4 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,130 411 Otago ..." ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,352 1 1 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,472 7 0 £33,423 18 11 This is a total increase upon last year of amounts due local bodies of £4,203 15s. sd. With the exception of Taranaki, where the amount due has decreased, the other offices that have been notably increased are Wellington, Otago, Hawke's Bay, Southlaud, and Nelson. During the past year I inspected the following offices—viz., Wellington, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Nelson, Blenheim, Auckland, Inveroargill, and Dunedin, and went through the Eeceiver of Land Revenue's work in each office, and checked 1,383 cash-books, and prepared balance-sheets of their transactions from the date of their previous audits to time of visit, copies of which I furnished you with, also a report upon each office, on my return,

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Land District. 1897-98. 1898-99. Increase. Decrease. Territorial revenue Land for settlements ... Cheviot State forests... North Island Main Trunk Eailway Lakes Ellesmere and Porsyth ... Thermal springs Hanmer Plains baths Hanmer Sanatorium ... Survey vote ... Grown grant fees Miscellaneous £ a. d. 263,296 2 3 27,667 0 10 16,277 0 7 10,995 13 1 5,174 6 7 1,642 5 8 901 3 3 £ s. d. 273,799 7 4 38,804 10 2 17,043 8 1 5,844 6 6 11,282 19 8 1,740 8 11 1,351 13 6 376 6 2 796 5 5 1,853 15 4 1,228 12 0 2,649 12 2 £ s. d. 10,503 5 1 11,137 9 4 766 7 6 £ 8. d. 5, 151 6 7 6,108 13 1 98 3 3 450 10 3 376 6 2 796 5 5 3,744 12 5 1,109 13 2 1,870 3 7 118 18 10 779 8 7 1,890 17 1 Government loans to local bodies Endowments... 332,678 1 10,742 1 15,666 11 5 1 3 356,771 5 13,255 17 15,117 18 2 2 4 31,135 7 6 2,513 16 1 7,042 3 8 548 12 11 359,086 13 9 385,145 0 359,086 13 9 9 33,649 3 7 9,590 16 7 7,590 16 7 Increase for year 1898-99 ... I 26,058 7 0 26,058 7 0