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1914. NEW ZEALAND.

STATE ADVANCES OFFICE (REPORT BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1914.

Laid before Parliament pursuant to Subsection (3) of Section 64 of the State Advances Act, 1913.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS BRANCH. Twentieth Annual Report and Balance-sheet. The advances actually paid over to settlers during the year by the Board numbered 2,098, and the loans so paid amounted to £973,005. Classified according to provincial districts, the advances authorized during the year ended 31st March, 1914, were,— Provincial Number of Amount of Advances District. Applications. authorized. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 1,256 438,750 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 128 63,285 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. ..106 38,770 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 347 153,320 Marlborough .. '.. .. .. .. 36 14,690 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. 64 19,110 Westland .. .. .. .. .. 43 12,390 Canterbury .. .. .. .. ..225 77,510 Otago .. .. .. .. 69 19,765 Southland .. .. .. .. ..116 41,265 Totals.. .. .. .. ... 2,390 £878,855 The total advances now current are as follows :— „ . Amount. in uniDer. £ s d Not exceeding £500 .. .. .. ..14,561 3,059,381 6 7 Exceeding £500 but not exceeding £1,000.. .. 2,900 2,217,982 2 3 Exceeding £1,000 but not exceeding £2,000 .. 1,366 1,920,811 3 2 Exceeding £2..000 but not exceeding £3,000 .. 214 532,394 1 7 Totals .. .. .. .. 19,041 £7,730,568 13 7 The average amount of the current advances is £406. Number and amounts advanced on freehold and leasehold— Number. | mount - , d On freeholds .. .. .. .. .. 11,669 5,602,253 9 8 On leaseholds .. .. .. .. .. 7,086 1,953,939 3 3 On freeholds and leaseholds combined .. .. 286 174,376 0 8 Totals .. .. .. .. 19,041 £7,730,568 13 7 The average freehold advance is £480, the average leasehold advance £276, and the average of advances secured on both freehold and leasehold combined £610.

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