THE LAND TRANSFER DEPARTMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 3283, 28 August 1873, Page 3

THE LAND TRANSFER DEPARTMENT.

That this department has been a thorough success is placed beyond doubt by the annual report of the Registrar-General, which is now before us. Though Mr Monrhouse, the late Registrar-General, proves to have been too sanguine in his estimate of tho revenue of the department for tho year 1872-3, it ex ceeds that of the previous year. In 1871-2 tho amount was 1.4,539 ; in 1872-3 it was L8,5U0. The expenditure voted was L 9 329 los, but owing to various reductions, winch were found practicable, a saving of nearly 1,900 was effected. Tho actual expenditure was L 8,025 19s Id, “It will therefore be seen,” remarks Mr Williams, “that while lhe revenue of the department has increased during the past year by about 65 per cent., the expenditure has exceeded its limits by a comparatively email amount ” Mr Williams also points out that although the expenditure during the year has exceeded the revenue, the department has been paying its expenses and yielding a profit for the last three months, and it will, wo think, be conneeded that “if it be borne in mind that no less than ten separate offices have to be maintained, the fact that the system has become self-supporting in little more than two years after its first establishment cannot be considered as otherwise than satisfactory.” In support of his opinion as to the prospects of the business of the department for the ensuing year, the Registrar General estimates the revenue at L 9,000 and the expenditure at L8,()90. The fees received in the Deeds Registry Department during the past year were L 13,434, against L13,5(K) estimated ; the amount expended was 1 j5,700, against L 9.186 estimated. Mr Williams anticipates a falling off in the receipts for the ensuing year, “ mainly from the fact that the number of Crown Grants registered will be diminished, owing to the grants of land bought from the Crown since the beginning of 1871 being under tbo Land Transfer \ct.” The Registrar estimates the revenue for the ensuing year at L 12,500, and the expenditure at L 8,600. Attached to the Report are some elaborate tables showing the business done, a few ex tracts from which will be interesting. During the operation of the Act the total number of applications was 4,334, with respect to lands of the value of L 1,673,473. The number of transfers was 1,440, involving consideration money to tho sum of L 238.252, Mortgages to the number of 1,301, securing L 725,374, passed through the office, and 2,309 Crown grants representing 426,210 acres. The number of certificates issued was 4,352, of caveats 9, powers of attorney 41, searches 541, general searches 28, caveats against dealing 36, maps deposited 32, instruments deposited 12, leases registered 156, encumbrances registered 6. During the year 1872-73 the business was thus distributed amongst the Provinceajas regards the number of applications and the value involved:—

£1,992 £707,298 The fees r coivcd under the Transfer Act for the year amounted to L 8,930 7s 7d, re ceived as follows Auckland, L 952 10s 7d ; )tago, L 2.611 16s 7d ; Canterbury, L 2,184 15s* Od ; Wellington, L 769 9s fld ; Nelson, L7OO 8s Gd ; Southland, L 520 17s lid; Hawke’s Bay, L 415 15s 2d ; Taranaki, LG3 12s ; Westland, L 214 8s 4d ; Marlborough, L3ll 13s 7d and in addition the sum of L2lO for land brokers’ licenses in the various parts of the Colony. The total amount of money remaining secured by mortgage in the various Provinces under the Land Transfer Act on the 30th June, 1873, was as follows :

No. Value. Auckland, ... 246 ... £129,222 Otago ... 446 ... 19(5,473 Canterbury ... 469 ... 193,593 Wellington ... 200 ... 7(5,809 Nelson ... 1(51 ... 56,122 Southland ... 178 ... 36,333 Hawke’s Bay ... 120 ... 39,688 Taranaki ... ... 29 ... 2,553 Westland... ... 56 ... 5,777 Marlborough ... 87 ... 30,728

Auckland ... £79,737 1 1 Otago ... 210,738 10 7 Canterbury ... 207,081 19 1 Wellington ... 38,973 11 6 Nelson ... ... 22,808 10 0 Southland ... 93,380 5 U Hawke’s Bay ... 5,970 0 0 Taranaki 1,957 0 0 Westland 2,470 0 0 Marlborough ... 4,774 0 0 Total ... ... £008,240 18 4