CROWN LANDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 298, 10 September 1920, Page 7

CROWN LANDS

STATISTICS FOR PAST YEAR ' THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS A report yesterday presented to Pari liamcut upon the settloment of Crown lands states -.— "As anticipated in last year's report, the area of 9,000,000 acrea provided by section 25S of the Land Act, 190S, as a national, endowment for the purposes of education and old age pensions has now been reached, tho approximate area in the endowment at. the end of the year under review (1919-20) being 9,018,688 acres. Of this an area of 7,042,630 acres was held on lease or license, subdivided into 4339 holdings and providing an annual rental of .£130,223. -Tho total revenue received from theso lands was <6134,614. "The total Crown leaseholds revalued in terms of section 15 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1915, at March 31 numbered 433. Tho capital values were _ reduced as a result of these valuations from to .£859,150, and tho annual rental from £18,687 to J239,091. _ At tho closo of the year nine applications remained to bo dealt with. "Crown tenants to the number of 306 had their holdings forfeited by land boards for non-compliance with the conditions of their leases. Tho area involved was 79,1CS acres, and tho annual rental ,£3592. In addition, 10S tenants voluntarily surrendered -their leases over an area of 62,018 acres, with an annual rent of ,£2535.

"Tho gross revenue from all sources totalled JC1,651,291, which is a record for the Department, and is considerably in excess of ths amount collected for the previous year."