25

C—l

Summary of Land Transactions, and Revenue collected, during the Year ended 31st March, 1903— continued.

Note.—Excluding freeholds under deferred payment, perpetual lease, and occupation with right of purchase, and conversions of tenure, the new selections for the year are reduced to 194 selectors with an area of 15,246 acres 1 rood 17 perches, the annual rent payable thereon being £1,641 4s. 4d. * This does not include twenty-eight holdings aggregating 4,108 acres and 16 perches which have been balloted for but not registered on the books. An analysis of this table shows that the operations of the year were less by 114 in number and 44,653 acres in area than those of last year. The total area held under lease and license also shows a decrease of 10,872 acres, but the number of selectors on the books has increased by forty, and the revenue received also shows an increase of £2,579. The falling-off in number of operations was principally caused by a shrinkage in dealings under the following systems : Cash, perpetual lease made freehold, lease in perpetuity, land-for-settlements lease in perpetuity, village-homestead lease in perpetuity, conversions, and Native townships ; the other systems being practically the same as the previous year. The decrease in area dealt with is mostly comprised in the headings perpetual lease made freehold, lease in perpetuity, pastoral licenses, and miscellaneous leases (the latter item being over three-fourths of the whole deficiency) ; whilst in the other lands increases occurred under the cash, occupation-with-right-of-purchase, special-settlements-made freehold, village-homestead-lease-in-perpetuity, and small-grazing-runs systems. An examination of the revenue return discloses that large decreases took place in the perpetual leases made freehold, but these were more than counterbalanced by the, in some cases, substantial increases which took place in nearly all the other systems. For the first time it will be noticed the item " occupation with right of purchase made freehold " appears in the returns, a number of selections having been held over the ten years' limit fixed by the Act, during which no freehold titles under this system can issue. It is anticipated that these titles will gradually take the place of the perpetual-lease system under "The Land Act, 1885," which will shortly be altogether extinguished, and will for some years produce an increasing revenue. Cash Sales. —Thirty-five persons purchased eight town acres, one suburban, four rural, and nineteen village-settlement sections, of a total area of 1,266 acres ; fourteen perpetual-lease holdings, aggregating 6,255 acres; and two occupation-with-right-of-purchase licensees, holding 570 acres, obtained their freehold titles ; making, with the sections purchased outright for cash, a total of 8,091 acres, producing £9,179. Area selected during the Year. —This comprised 15,246 acres under all systems. Forfeitures and Surrenders. —The interests of sixty-six selectors in 12,677 acres were forfeited, and six surrenders of 4,004 acres took place during the year. Arrears. —There were 200 selectors, representing an area of 40,296 acres, in arrear with two or more payments, aggregating £2,425 on the 31st March last. This shows a substantial decrease on last year's figures, which showed 269 selectors in arrear with £3,108, a difference of sixty-nine selectors and £683 respectively. Reservations. —The area of lands reserved and alienated in terms of the provisions of the Land Act and other special Acts amounted to 1,001 acres, principally for primary education reserves, timber-preservation, reformatory, &c. Rebate. —Under " The Crown Tenants' Rent Rebate Act, 1900," 1,849 selectors obtained discounts amounting to £1,951 on their payments. The Crown Lands Rangers for the East Coast report as follows : — From detailed reports on the various systems forwarded herewith it will be seen the progress of settlement in this portion of the land district has been satisfactory, as out of 586 ordinary inspections there were only thirty-six defaulters as to improvements. The number (seventy-one) 4—C. 1 App.

•Transactions during the Year. Area under Lease at 31st March, 1903. System. Revenue received during the Year. Number. Area. Number. Area. Brought forward ... Miscellaneous leases, land for settlements Native townships Endowment lands— Deferred payment Small grazing-runs Miscellaneous leases State forests Other sources 217 | 24,144 0 9 ! 2,818 2 625,362 6 36 44 0 0 £ s. 45,782 6 8 6 d. 5 3 13 25 3 8 ! 121 357 0 17 493 12 7 1,780" 0 0 ; "l 1 3 28 5 1,780 0 0 18 2 20 1,067 8 3 1 1 8 7 1,556 7 2,276 11 0 0 4 ... Total 232 25,951 3 5 I 2,947 627,561 3 33 51,192 12 10