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ADVANCES MADE TO CROWN TENANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND STOCKING OF HOLDINGS Amounts advanced for the year ended 31st March, 1946 : Improvements .. .. .. .. .. £2,707 Stock .. .. .. .. .. .. £707 Number of advances made .. .. .. .. 26 DISCHARGED SOLDIERS SETTLEMENT ACT, 1915 The following particulars are supplied pursuant to section 14 of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915 : Total Area proclaimed since Inception of the Scheme Class ©f Land. Area (Acres). Ordinary Crown land .. .. .. 1,048,434 Land-for-settlements land .. .. .. .. 405,976 Cheviot Estate land .. .. .. .. 3,356 v 1,457,766 Proclamations have been issued revoking the setting apart of 257,936 acres of Crown land and 108,419 acres of land-for-settlements land. From the inception of the soldier-settlement scheme in 1915 the total applications received number 15,181 and the allotments made number 4,112, covering a total area of 1,446,164 acres. The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account was abolished by section 6 of the Finance Act, 1937. STAFF Several officers retired during the year. These included Mr. K. M. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, after thirty-seven years' service, and Mr. J. A. Mclver, Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue, Invercargill, after a like record of service. Both of these gentlemen had given excellent service, and it is with pleasure that this is acknowledged, and I wish them well in their retirement. It is with regret that I record the deaths of Mr. D. E. Goldsmith, Chief Clerk and Receiver of Land Revenue at Blenheim, after thirty-eight years' service, and Mr. E. Pfankuch, of the draughting staff, of Christchurch, after thirty-five years' service. Both these officers had been valued members of the staff. The staff position improved somewhat during the year, owing to the return of a number of officers from the Forces..

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