C—l.

the lease-in-perpetuity were only 241, with a similar disparity in areas ; but the selections in both systems fall far short of those in the year 1900-1, though, of course, the balance of revenue is in favour of the later period. The next principal item, village settlement lease-in-perpetuity and village homestead selections total sixty-two, against one hundred and three for the preceding year, with a proportionately less area ; the disparity is maintained under the improved farm and pastoral runs, but the comparison of occupation licenses under the Mining Act, and small grazingruns (as to area), and miscellaneous leases and licenses, is in favour of the year 1901-2, as are also the figures under the Land for Settlements Act, which show an increase of sixty-two selectors and 26,592 acres over the transactions of the previous year, and under this heading the items lease-in-perpetuity and small grazing-runs show a substantial improvement also. The explanation of the lower figures recorded in the foregoing instances is, as before indicated, due to the fact that suitable land was not available for selection. Nevertheless, it appears reasonable to conclude that, notwithstanding unavoidable drawbacks, the results are satisfactory in the three essentials of number, area, and revenue. The following table represents the above comparisons in a convenient form: —

Table C. Comparison of Operations during Year under Principal Headings with those for previous Year.

Average Size op Holdings selected during the Year. The average size of the areas selected (excluding town and suburban lands, pastoral runs, grazing-runs, small lots, and miscellaneous leases) is 228 acres, the figures for 1901 being 316 acres, and those for 1900, 223 acres. Selection under the optional clauses of the Act, where the selector is not limited to one section but may select up to the limits defined in the Act, average 239 acres, the average areas for the two previous years being 363 acres (year 1900-1) and 292 acres (year 1899-1900) respectively. For facility of reference and comparison, the totals of transactions from the year 1891-2 to the 31st March last is set forth in

Table D. Summary of Lands selected.

iv

Tenure. IS Number of Selectors. 19i 10-1901. 190: .-1902. Area. Number of Selectors. Area. lash sales* )eferred payment ... 'erpetual lease (ccupation with right of purchase jease in perpetuity! 'astoral and small grazing-runs lining and occupation leases liscellaneous leases 398 3 673 606 99 54 479 Acrep. 58,725 2,499 262,729 147,600 1,099,185 2,146 94,861 510 1 1 448 573 92 72 462 Acres. 27,300 52 10 128,894 118,669 685,952 2,535 130,674 New transactions Forfeitures and surrenders ... 2,312 409 2,312 409 1,667,745 381,138 2,159 288 1,094,086 145,923 Net increase ... 1,903 1,903 1,286,607 1,871 948,163 * Inclusive of subdivisions t „ subdivision i of town an d{ lands for suburban land?, lettlements.

Year. Number of Selectors or Purchasers. Area taken up ! during Year. Territorial Revenue. Number of Total Revenue Leasehold collected. Tenants ! on the Books. 1891-92 1892-93 1893-94 1894-95 .;. 1895-96 1896-97 1897-98 1898-99 1899-1900 ... 1900-1901 ... 1901-1902 ... 2,519 3,071 2,876 2,547 2,865 2,173 2,058 2,542 2,310 2,312 2,159 Acres. 1,453,082 1,663,339 1,393,918 1,015,577 2,662,344 1,600,695 2,451,062 1,357,466 1,573,823 1,667,744 1,094,086 i £ 320,483 274,399 282,067 338,166 291,673 272,954 263,296 273,799 262,228 270,203 249,619 £ 324,470 310,523 347,343 375,879 345,331 360,993 359,086 385,145 382,943 431,338 427,138 12,735 14,261 15,081 15,326 15,683 15,527 16,365 16,572 17,191 18,050 18,521