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1926. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1925-26.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command oj His Excellency.

Head Office, Stamp Duties Department, Wellington, Ist June, 1926. The Hon. the Minister op Stamp Duties, Wellington. I have the honour to submit the usual report on the working of the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Department for the year ended the 31st March, 1926. My report as Registrar-General of Land is also included. The returns appended show— A. The business transacted under the Land Transfer Act. ]3 The fees received thereunder, including the fees received on account of Crown grants. 0. The mortgages and discharges of mortgages, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on the 31st March, 1926. D, The arrears existing at the various Land Transfer Offices at the close of business on the same date. The number of deeds received for registration and the number remaining unrecorded on the 31st March last, also the fees received in the Deeds Registration Offices. The following table shows at a glance the amount of registration business under the Land Transfer and the Deeds Registration Acts transacted during the last five years : —

The Land Transfer (Compulsory Registration of Titles) Act, 1924, came into operation, and the work directed by it to be done was commenced on the Ist April last. lam pleased to be able to report that the Act is working very smoothly, and appears to be giving general satisfaction both to property-owners whose titles were not under the Land Transfer Act and to the legal profession. It is the aim of the Registrars in bringing the old system titles under the Land Transfer Act to do so, "iving as little trouble or expense as possible to owners of land. During the year 8,095 titles were examined and certificates of title issued, and the fees on 2,515 of these have already been paid. C. E. Nalder, Registrar-General of Land, and Secretary for Land and Deeds.

Year ended 31st March. 1922. ' 1923. 1924. j 1925. J 1926. Instruments .. •• -• •• 154,394 136,028 154,805 168,523 188,622 Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. 29,761 35,468 45,205 43,965 45,577 Fees, excluding fees under compulsory £86,157 £83,473 £94,635 £100,623 £106,526 Registration Act, 1924.