REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF LAND. (FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE, 1875.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1875 Session I, H-19

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1875. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF LAND. (FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE, 1875.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Office of Registrar-General of Land, Sir,— Christchurch, 20th July, 1875. I have the honor to lay before you the result of the working of the Land Transfer Act for the year ending the 30th June, 1875. The revenue for the vear, exclusive of Assurance Fund, has been £11,727, the expenditure about £8,900. The receipts for the ensuing year may be estimated at £13,000, the expenditure at about £9,500. The department has for the last two years been more than self-supporting. The returns appended show a large increase of business during the past year. With the 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 the information a summary of which (D) is appended. The Australian returns are for the year ending December 1873, as against those of New Zealand for the year ending 30th June, 1875. The comparison is nevertheless, in point of time, somewhat unfair to New Zealand, on account of the longer period during which the system has been in operation in the other colonies, which more than compensates for the difference in the dates of the returns. Taking this into account, it willbe seen that relatively to population the business returns for this colony compare favourably with those of other colonies whilst for economy of administration the comparison is very favourable to New Zealand. The contrary might have been expected, seeing that in each of the Australian colonies the business is conducted from one centre, whilst in New Zealand it is found necessary to maintain ten District Registrys. It is probable that this, although at first sight a disadvantage, has by the facilities afforded been conducive to the rapid extension of 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 most part been removed), the Land Transfer system has, I believe, here as elsewhere, answered all reasonable expectations, and may be justly claimed as an important reform in the practice of conveyancing. Those who ignore the difference in point of responsibility between this and other systems of registration, occasionally take exception to the strictness of 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 respousibility 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 the 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 divests the subject of complications and technicalities, and brings it within the range of ordinary business capacity. How effectually this is done is evidenced by the fact that a large and increasing proportion 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 on as low a scale as is consistent with the due maintenance of the department, being in some instances lower than in the Australian colonies. There is reason, however, to believe that the 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 Land Transfer system from this source, and it cannot be denied that there exists a serious liability to complications of the nature suggested, though, I think, by no means to the extent anticipated. The tendency is practically towards the settlement of such questions on the basis of occupation.

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In connection with this subject, I may observe that the absence in this colony of a department corresponding to that of Surveyor-General in other colonies, has always been felt as a disadvantage by this department in dealing with questions of survey, and in deciding on the qualifications of persons applying to be licensed as surveyors under the Act. I append returns —(A) Of the business transacted under the Act during the past year ; (B) of the fees received during tho same period ; (C) of amounts secured by mortgage under the Land Transfer Act during the past year, and remaining so secured on the 30th June last; and (D) comparative summary before alluded to. Deeds TRcgistri/. 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 realized. The receipts for the year ending 30th June, 1875, were £15,840, being in excess of those for the preceding year. The expenditure for the past year was about £8,800. The receipts of the Deeds Eegistry Department for the ensuing year may be estimated at £16,000, the expenditure at £9,230. I am not aware of anything further which calls for special notice in relation to either of the departments. I have, &c, Geo. B. Davt, The Hon. the Minister of Justice, Wellington. Eegistrar-General of Land.

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A.—STATEMENT of BUSINESS TRANSACTED under the LAND TRANSFER ACTS for the YEAR ending the 30th JUNE, 1875.

DISTRICT. APPLICATIONS. Abea. TRANSFERS. Abea. Abea. MORTGAGES. CROWN GRANTS. Abea. CD co ID CD eg cd CD CD CD — co - - cd 'en CD — 1 c No. Value. No. Consideration Money. Amount Secured. > to 3 E OS Town and Suburbs. Country. Town and Suburbs. Country. No. Town and Suburbs. Country. No. Town and Suburbs. Country. -: - to CD 9 CD — !— — a. b. p. A. E. P. £ s. d. A. E. P. a. b. p. £ s. d. A. b. p. A. B. P. £ s. d. A. E. p. A. e. p. Auckland ... 133 52 3 30 11,508 1 24 47,356 0 0 271 I 178 2 39-7 I I |233,513 0 8 90,184 2 10 1 151 150 2 37 333,069 3 23 119,968 17 11 222 387 8 4 281,675 2 29 330 142 27 12 V 11 Otago 345 122 2 3 14,612 0 25-4 213,111 10 0 865 440 0 28 27,254 2 20-4 164,294 15 0 449 169 2 21-6 61,940 1 38-5 301,576 15 0 1030 682 1 6-4 »68,231 3 8-3 1023 185 44 33 72 Canterbury 618 133 1 25 23,838 3 0 313,244 0 3 1012 315 1 11-46 97,348 0 85 218,958 18 10 767 158 2 0 I 180,724 1 375 I 635,877 6 1 635 94 1 27 280,097 2 4 1205 ,334 li) u 33 87 53 Wellington Nelson 124 105 98 2 97 45 2 34 7,238 0 16 30,207 3 28 70,535 15 0 68,660 0 0 588 162 1,176 2 2 30 2 33 88,882 0 14 5,342 3 15 90,730 10 8 20,077 15 10 184 111, 95 3 24 24 0 1 42,218 2 26 27,362 3 4 94,570 7 2 54,033 1 10 ml i . 424 08 0 6 I 304 2 2 44,161 3 3 1,490 3 3 A _ 1. - 459 132 92 57 1 ■-- 12 1 11 11 Southland ... 216 54 3 30 6,721 0 15 35,006 0 0 190 87 0 0-95' j 35,980 1 29 59,285 3 0 172 27 0 36-5 95,616 0 3 177,003 5 11 50 14 2 12 6,649 0 31 i 208 195 21 2 21 Hawke's Bay 91 66 3 18-9 8,927 "0 10 32,681 0 0 153 156 1 19-90 30,244 2 39 40,474 15 2 74 543 3 645 47,499 1 26 133,569 7 8 | 118 289 1 0 45,374 3 10 209 62 3 10 Z Westland ... 73 l 10 0 25 386 0 25 7,197 10 0 114 18 2 11-4 2,265 3 19 9,434 8 ol I I 39 I 4 1 8-3 1,155 1 26 5,864 18 8 lOl' I 25 3 36 I 99 13 3 1 Taranaki ... 7 1 0 33 324 3 36 4,351 0 0 3 5 1 28 j 1,945 1 9 6,594 5 6 26 10 3 397 4,228 0 20 19,585 10 0 47 272 1 17 1,658 0 26 17 21 Marlborough 51 21 0 12-5 1,610 1 12 11,770 15 0 99 13 1 3 5,259 0 37 8,542 7 0 39 12 1 24 4,937 0 34 25,805 5 0 33 12 1 17 1,460 0 0 92 12 ! I J i — Total ... 1763 528,036 0 389 708,577 1 10 2012 2771 2,150 3 74 730,799 2 34-3 !3774 1413 n 264, 607 1 22 105,374 3 31-4 803,913 10 3 { 3488 2,422 0 1741 1,197 1 38-55 798,752 1 38 1,565,854 14 10 10 116 n 92:

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B.—FEES received under the LAND TRANSFER ACTS, for the YEAR ending the 30th JUNE, 1875.

C.—RETURN showing Total Amount in Money remaining secured by MORTGAGE under the LAND TRANSFER ACT, on the 30th JUNE, 1875.

D. —TABLE showing the Work done and Fees received in the Offices for Registration of Title in the Australian Colonies, Tasmania, and New Zealand, and the Cost of Maintenance of those Offices in the several Colonies. (The particulars for the Australian Colonies and Tasmania are from Official Returns for the Year 1873; the particulars for New Zealand are for the Financial Year ending 30th June, 1875.)

By Authority : Geobge Didseuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7s. Price 3d.]

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District. General Fees. Land Assurance. Totals. mckland )tago ... Janterbury Wellington felson ... louthland lawke's Bay Vestland 'aranaki larlborough £ b. d. 921 8 2 2,789 0 0 4,057 2 8 1,214 14 0 820 3 0 746 11 5 508 8 0 310 12 4 95 9 2 264 3 0 £ s. d. 103 6 6 638 19 6 789 0 3 225 13 0 150 12 3 92 9 6 89 17 5 16 10 4 15 13 10 30 3 9 £ 8. d. 1,024 14 8 3,427 19 6 4,846 2 11 1,440 7 0 970 15 3 839 0 11 598 5 5 327 2 8 111 3 0 294 6 9 Total £11,727 11 9 £2,152 6 4 £13,879 18 1

DlSTBICT. Total Amount secured by Mortgage under the Land Transfer Act, during the year ended the 30th June, 1875. Amount of Mortgage paid off during the same period. Total Amount remaining secured by Mortgage under the Land TransAct, on the 30th June, 1875. • Luckland Hago Canterbury Wellington f elson iouthland lawke's Bay ... Westland 'aranaki larlborough ... £ s. d. 119,968 17 11 301,576 15 0 635,877 6 1 94,570 7 2 54,033 1 10 177,003 5 11 133,569 7 3 5,864 18 8 19,585 10 0 23,805 5 0 £ s. d. 39,146 5 5 64,575 0 0 42,196 6 9 38,179 5 4 15,289 2 4 42,692 9 3 48,246 18 10 1,076 17 0 1,058 1 0 2,598 0 0 £ s. d. 192,018 3 7 611,274 8 5 1,219,871 14 9 174,779 3 0 78,697 6 9 334,305 13 9 165,587 8 5 9,398 0 8 31,320 19 0 30,473 14 0 Total... £1,565,854 14 10 £295,058 5 11 £2,847,726 12 4

Colony. Population of Colony, 31 Dec. 1873. No. of Applications to bring land under the Act. No. of Transfers. No. of MortReceipts (exclusive of Assurance Fund). Cost of Maintenance. Profit. Loss. gages. Victoria ... Slew South Wales ... louth Australia Queensland Tasmania few Zealand 790,492 560,275 198,075 146,690 104,217 t320,000 1,149 258 738 213 118 1,763 7,758 1,283 3,014 2,397 137 3,488 2,204 434 1,667 363 117 2,012 £ s. d. 18,380 2 10 3,240 6 8 7,253 19 0 3,367 1 1 678 10 6 11,727 11 9 £ s. d. 14,216 13 4 5,000 0 0 *5,930 0 0 3,432 13 0 1,300 3 11 8,900 0 0 £ s. d.J 4,163 9 6 £ 8. d. 1,759 13 4 1,323 19 0; 65 11 11 621 13 5 2,827 11 9

* This sum includes the cost of a Kegister of Deeds, from which no revenue is received. •f* The population of New Zealand is estimated approximately on the basis of the Census of 1874, and is exclusive ol [aoris.