REGISTRAR-GENERAL’S REPORT.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 270, 20 August 1872, Page 3

REGISTRAR-GENERAL’S REPORT.

The report of the Registrar-General of Land, lat. iy laid before .Parliament, is a ve*y satisfactory document. The vote for last year’s expenditure was £8,614 15s, and the actual expenditure was £SOO less. The business done shows a cash return of £4,539 17s lid, and credit under the regulations £266 10s, together £4,806 7s lid. During the year the Assurance fund lias been increased by £1,500 14s 7d. The Registrar-General estimates the probable receipts for the current year at £8,500, which showp how rapidly landed property is being brought under the operations of this Act. Ho speaks very condeinnatorially of the bungling surveys of tho public lands effected under the Provincial Governments. After stating that the opinion that he had expressed on this subject in his last report had “ become more confirmed by subsequent experience,” he proceeds to state “ that the Legislature should, without further delay, arrest the progress of the immeasurable evil which is daily growing out of the sham system of public surveys, so long the disgrace to the colony. Representations on this subject hsve been made from the Crown Lands Department, and I believe other sources; and it may be stated with the authority of truth that in the minds of all specially informed men there exists no doubt of the necessity of an immediate reform in the matter of public surveys. The record maps which

are necessary for public use in this department are, as to some parts of tho colony T entirely wanting, and, in other instances, what purports to be record maps are simply an illusion. Whatever sacrifice of present means may be required for the remedy, I must be forgiven for stating that the emergent nature of the case demands that it should be met.” During the past year 1,842 titles have been issued for the colony, as against 182 in the previous year. Of the above number Auckland province had 280, while Otago had no fewer than 719. For the two years during which the Act has been in operation 2,024 titles have been issued. The value of the property for which applications to register were received last year was £739,843 5s 3d., as against £166,331 5s in the previous year. The value of property transferred last year was £56,266 4s sd, as against £7,031 during the previous year. For the twelve months ending the 30tli June last, the value of mortgages registered was £237,163 2s 6d> as against £23,728 10s during the previous twelve months. Crown grants have been issued for 52,154 acres of country land, and 592 acres three roods of town and suburban land. As the facilities for dealing with land under the new Act become more generally known, there can be no doubt that large areas will be brought under its operation, as the expense of dealing with land so registered is small as compared with tho old system. — Q'qsk