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A number of alienations are made by way of lease, for the reason that the Native owners, although desirous of working their land, find that, after attempting this course, difficulties arise in the way of finance, which is necessary to assist them in working the land. Therefore they accept the rental as a means towards their subsistence. This is owing to the want of capital, as it is a fact that very few Natives are able to raise a loan or a mortgage on their land except at over the average rate of interest, except in the case of State loan Departments, where there must be collateral security in the way of other lands under lease, rentals for which have to be assigned. Since the coming into operation of the 1909 Act, 1,483,048 acres have been alienated, of which 723,122 acres have been alienated by way of the fee-simple, thereby becoming Crown or European land, and so loses the Native freehold title. The Department's expenditure for the past year has been £21,950 145., while the amount paid into the Treasury and fees received from stamps, coTiimission, &0., amounts to £14,2.35 18s. 10d. Thos. W. Fis.hkr, Under-Secretary.

TABLE A.—NATIVE LAND COURTS. Return of Business and Fees for thk Year ended 31st March, 191.3. Native Land Court. Number of sittings ... ... ... ... ... ... 70 Number of cases notified ... ... ... ... ... 19,278 Number of cases for which orders made ... ... .. 7,070 Number of cases dismissed ... ... ... ... 3,110 Number of cases adjourned sine die ... ... ... ... 9,098 Number of partitions made ... ... . ... ... 783 Area affected (acres) ... ... ... ... ... 383,642 Number of investigations of title ... ... ... 61 Area affected (acres) .. .. ... ... ... 52,253 A Number of succession orders made , ... ... ... . . 5,065 Number of other orders made ... ... . ... ... 2,059 Native Appellate Court. Number of sittings notified ... ... ... ... 19 Number of cases notified ... ... ... ... ... 345 Native Land Court decisions varied ... ... ... ... 89 Native Land Court decisions affirmed ... ... ... ... 48 Native Land Court decisions referred back to Native Land Court ... 6 Native Land Court decisions annulled .. ... ... ... 2 Appeals dismissed or withdrawn . • ... ... ... 67 Appeals adjourned sine die ... ... ... ... ... 70 Applications under section 208 ordered ... ... ... 18 Applications under section 208 dismissed ... ... -\ Applications under section 208 adjourned sine die... ... ... 21 Court Fees. £ s. d. Amount collected by Court... ... ... ... ... 3,252 9 4 Amount collected by Registrar— For period ... ... ... ... ... ... 49 16 (I For previous periods ... .. ... ... ... 943 19 4 Amount outstanding . ... ... ... ... 778 14 6 Search fees collected ... ... ... ... ... 510 14 11 Fees received in stamps ... ... ... ... ... 1,673 16 0 Fees on application under section 17/12 ... ... 1515 0

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