REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF LANDS REPORT.

Evening Star, Issue 3903, 27 August 1875, Page 3

REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF LANDS REPORT.

The Registrar-General of Lands reports : The revenue for the year, exclusive ,of assurance fund, as L 11.727; expenditure about L 8.900. The receipts for the ensuing year are estimated at L 13,000; expenditure, L 9,500. The department forjthe last two years has been more than self-supporting. The returns appended show a large increase of business during the past year. With a view of instituting a comparison between the working of the land transfer system in New Zealand and in the Australian Colonies, my predecessor, by the aid of the Government, collected information, a summary of which is appended. The Australian returns are for the year ending December, 1873, as against those of New Zealand for the year ending June 30, 1875. The comparison is nevertheless, in point of time, somewhat unfair to New Zealand, on account of jhe longer period during which the system has been in operation in the other Colonies, which more than compensated for the difference in the dates of the returns. Taking this into account, it will be seen that relatively to the population the business returns for this Colony compare favorably with those of other Colonies, whilst for economy of administration the comparison is very favorable to New Zealand. The contrary might have been expected, seeing that in each of the Australian Colonies business is conducted from one centre, whilst in New Zealand it is found necessary to maintain ten district registries. It is probable that this although at first sight a disadvantage, has, by facilities afforded, been conducive to rapid extension of the business, and thus more than compensated in revenue for the additional expenditure incurred. Notwithstanding some exceptional difficulties, chiefly in relation to Native lands (but which have now for the must part been removed), the land-transfer" system has, I believe, here as elsewhere, answered all reasonable expectations, and may he justly claimed as an important reform in the practice of conveyancing. Those who ignore difference in point of responsibility between this and other systems of J registration, occasionally take exception to the strictness of the practice which it is found necessary to enforce in matters of survey and otherwise. When it is considered that registration under the Land Transfer Act involves absolute responsibility for title, it will be seen that a vigilant regard for accuracy is the only principle on which such a system can be conducted. It is not claimed for the land-transfer system that it renders possible the abandonment of ordinary safeguards of business, or the evasion of restrictions imposed by law on dealings with real property. Its merit as a system of conveyancing consists mainly in this—that it diverts the subject of complications and technicalities, and brings it within the range of an ordinary business capacity. •ow effectually this is done is evidenced by the fact that a large and increasing pr >portiou of the dealings with land under the Land Transfer Act is conducted with perfect facility by persons without any professional knowledge or experience. Exclusive of solicitors, there are upwards of fifty licensed land-brokers, practising under the Act. With regard to the cost of dealing with land —the reduction of which is one great object of the land-transfer system—it may be observed that the office fees have been fixed oh as low a scale as is consistent with the due maintenance of the Act, being in some instances lower than in the Australian Colonies. There is reason, however, to believe that an attempt to regulate business charges under the Act has been only partially successful. The Government is, I presume, fully informed as to the unreliable character of the public surveys in many parts of the Colony. Much evil has been predicted to the laud-tranßfer system from this source, and it cannot be denied that there exist serious liabilities to complications of the nature suggested, though I think by no means to the extent anticipated. The tendency is practically towMrds the settlement of such questions on the basis of occupation. In connection with this subject I may observe that the absence in this Colony of a department corresp6nding to that of the Surveyor-General in other Colonies has always been felt a disadvantage by this department in dealing with the questions of survey, and in deciding on the qualifications of persons applying to be licensed as surveyors under the Act. DEEDS BEGISTBY. The falling-off in the receipts of this department, which was anticipated in consequence of the introduction of the Land Transfer Act, has so far not been realised. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1875, were L 15,840, being in excess of those for the preceding year. The expenditure for the past year was LB,BOO. The receipts of the Deeds Registry Department for the ensuing year may be estimated at L 16.000. Table Dof the Colony of Victoria. Population of the Colony on December 31, 1873, 790,492; number of applications to bring land under the Act, 419 ; numher of transfers, 7,758 ; number of mortgages, 204 ; receii ts (exclusive of assurance fund), L 18,380 2s lOd; cost of maintenance, L 14,216 1-is 4d; profit, L4.1G3 9s 6d; loss, nil. New South Wales.— Population of the Colony on December 31, 1873, 500,275; number of applications to bring land under the Act, 258 ; number of transfers, 1.283; number of mortgages, •434; receipts (exclusive of assurance fund), L 3,240 6* Sd; cost of maintenance', L 5,000; profits, nil; loss, L 1,759 13s 4d. Colony of ] South Australia.—Population of Colony, December 31, 1873, 198,975; number of applications to bring land under the Act, 738 ; number of transfers, 3,014; number of mortgages, 1,667: receipts (exclusive of assurance fund) 1.7,253 19s ; cost of maintenance, L 5.930. This sum includes the cost of a register of deeds, irom which no revenue is received. Profit, L 1,323 19s ; loss, nil. Colony of Queensland. —Population of Colony, December 31, 1873, 146,690 ; number of applications to bring land under the Act, 123; number of transfers, 2,397; number of mortgages, 363; receipts, (exclusive of assurance fund), L 3.367 Is Id; coat of maintenance, L 3,432 13s; profit, nil; loss, L6511s lid. Colony of Tasmania —Popu-

lation of Colony, December 31, 1873. 104,217 ; number of applications to bring land under the Act, 118 ; number of transfers, J. 37 ; number of mortgages, 117 ; receipts (exclusive of assurance fund), L 678 10s 6d ; cost of maintenance, J-1,300 3s lid; profit, nil; loss, LH2ll3s sd. Colony of New Zealand.—Population of Colony, # December 31, 1873, 320,000. (The population of New Zealand is estimated approximately on the basis of the census of 1874, and is exclusive of Maoris.) Number of applications to bring land under the Act, 1,703; number of transfers, 3,488 ; number of mortgages, 2,012 ; receipts (exclusive of assurance fund), L 11.727 lis Od ; costs of maintenance, L 8.900 ; profit, L 2,827 Us 9d; loss, nil.

WELLINGTON, [By TaLEGBAPH.] [From our own Correspondtnt.) Wellington, Ausust 27. Mr Ormond made a very powerful speech last night, speaking for two hours. lhe Opposition contend that his declaration-winch they treat as unministerial—that the Government should cut the ground from under the feet of the Opposition and go to the country with a property tax, will not only alienate the Government's supporters in the House but cause the rejection of the Bill by tho Lords. Mr Reynolds put his foot in it by declaring that it was competent for the House to strike out one or more of the Provinces named in the Bill, at which the Opposition cheered loudly. He then qualified his statement by saying the Government would not agree to any alteration. Mr Stou*. intends to-day to take Mr Reynolds to task, especially as regards a statement of his. After telling his constituents iu December the abolition of the Middle Island Provinces was not intended, he had subsequently casually told his constituents tnat he had altered his mind.