LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1924-25.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, H-03

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1925. NEW ZEALAND

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1924-25.

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

Head Office, Stamp Duties Department, Wellington, Ist August, 1925. The Hon. the Minister op Stamp Duties, Wellington. I have the honour to submit the usual report on the working of the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Department for the year ended the 31st March, 1925. My report as Registrar-General of Land is also included. The returns appended show— A.—The business transacted under the Land Transfer Act. B.—The fees received thereunder, including the fees received on account of Crown grants. C.—The mortgages and discharges of mortgages, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on the 31st March, 1925. D.—The arrears existing at the various Land Transfer Offices at the close of business on the same date. E.—The number of deeds received for registration and the number remaining unrecorded on the 31st March last; also the fees received in the Deeds Registration Offices. C. E. Nalder, Assistant Secretary for Land and Deeds. REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF LAND. The Hon. the Minister or Stamp Duties. The Land and Deeds Branch of the Department comes very little into immediate touch with the general public, its business being done chiefly with the law firms. Much of the work is of a highly technical nature, necessitating officers well trained and experienced in the work of the Branch. That the general public seems scarcely to know of the existence of the branch may be taken as evidence that it is functioning satisfactorily, though quietly. The work of registration of deeds and instruments proceeds smoothly, and is completed expeditiously at all the district registry-offices, the average time in which instruments are ready to be uplifted being less than four days after presentation for registration. The staffs are efficient, and the individual members are zealous in the execution of their duties. The setting-aside of a comparatively large number of the senior members of staffs to fill the positions of Examiners of Titles rendered necessary by the Land Transfer (Compulsory Registration of Titles) Act,. 1924, will reduce the staffs necessary to carry out the ordinary duties of the offices, so that it may be somewhat difficult to carry on as efficiently as at present until newly appointed cadets have received sufficient training to become really useful. The volume of business during the last five years is shown by the following figures : —

As regards the Act of last session above mentioned, all the necessary appointments and arrangements have been made to commence the work at the beginning of this month. Additional Examiners of Titles were necessary. They are required by law to be persons who have been admitted as barristers or solicitors of the Supreme Court. Fortunately, a sufficient number so qualified were available amongst the various staffs of the Department, and it is hoped that their promotion to the positions of Examiners of Titles will counteract for a time the tendency that has always existed for the best members of the staffs to qualify as solicitors and leave the Service. Search clerks have been appointed as temporary officers to assist the Examiners. Applicants for these positions were numerous, and the selections were, at the suggestion of the Public Service Commissioner, made by the Registrars, and very satisfactory officers have been obtained. |P If the Bill to amend the Land Transfer Act, 1915, at present in the hands of the Law Draftsman, is passed into law it will be possible to simplify the registers with regard to the registration of dealings with leases ; it will also provide powers for the Registrars which it is very expedient that they should have. C. E. Nalder, Wellington, 10th April, 1925. Registrar-General of Land.

Year ended 31st March. ! 1921. j 1922. j 1923. 1924. 1925. | I | Instruments .. .. .. . . 213,129 154,394 136,028 154,805 168,523 Searches (under Land Transfer Act onlv) .. 37.677 29,761 35,468 45,205 43,965 Fees .. .. .. .. £123,389 £86,157 £83,473 £94,365 £100,623

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A.—Statement of Business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended the 31st March, 1925.

AppUcations. ° f Transfers. Mortgages. District Area. Area. ' Area. Area. 1 Area. i Area. Area. j= m Value. ,2 Value. S Z S ,2 I 5 : * I .2 ■ m £ a Town g a Town a Town \ Q on . a i 2 Town Q on _ a (j on _ 3 i and § I Country. § and | Country. § and j s id e ration. I 3 Country. [ Consideration. a and sideration. § Country. sideration. I | Suburban. s ; 'A Suburban. £< Suburban.! | £ Suburban. Acres. £ Acres. £ Acres. Acres. | Acres. £ Acres. £ Acres. £ Acres. £ Auckland .. 118 66 262,105 55 8,232 314,898 315 181 20,9-35 I 8.127 3,818 6,375,890 2,909 475,156 3,513,467 7,955 3,492 5,407,988 3,170 690,226 4,109,308 Taranaki .. 15 10 29,040 7 680 28,790 54 7 5,642 I 1,029 275 554,536 639 89,621 1,274,560 881 289 518,328 1,117 253,036 1,505,515 Wellington .. 45 24 141,048 25 14,393 203,126 99 16 7,474 j 5,805 1,755 4,082,327 1,161 293,850 3,242,593 5,855 1,746 4,026,220 1,824 650,581 3,927,776 Hawke'sBay .. 7 680 26,928 2 211 4,927 56 42 4,334 i 957 457 686,547 457 182,950 1,312,296 899 479 586,711 653 257,463 1,474,394 Poverty Pay ..1 \ 1,645 .. .. .. 21 9 2,020 I 449 300 251,892 261 163,742 696,980 345 204 219,704 348 344,927 853,335 Nelson . .* ..12 5 10,111 1 26 2,000 34 9 3,777 406 157 184,650 286 64,397 293,668 350 122 157,659 313 96,225 294,287 Marlborough ..2 3 2,790 1 156 5,158 7 2 3,603 154 80 84,456 144 51,040 317,536 121 100 84,570 209 213,267 451,576 Canterbury ..56 12 116,240 30 1,352 56,591 44 6 128 5,264 853 3,360,274 1,183 244,136 3,097,354 4,217 951 2,649,806 1,922 763,394 3,059,124 Otago ..' .. 25 15 56,515 8 576 11,918 82 101 6,928 ! 2,591 587 1,625,193 700 285,040 1,167,986 2,309 532 2,123,775 781 528.648 1.038,978 Southland ..10 61 9,838 1 .. 1,500 30 4 3,769 ! 929 251 527,909 545 133,996 863,545 930 243 464,699 820 248,745 1,009,415 Westland ..2 £ 157 .. .. .. 19 1 1,032 j 191 56 63,213 102 24,056 43,750 124 31 55,163 74 20,178 54,302 Totals, 1924-25 293 876$ 656,417 130 25,626 628,908 761 378 59,642 25,902 8,589 17,801,887 8,387 2,007,984 15,823,735 23,986 8,189 16,294,629 11,231 4,066,690 17,778,010 Totals, 1923 24 28S 241 536,195 159 25,656 749,392 954 2,470 83,034 24,988 10,697 17,581,523 8,305 1,796,871 16,289,723 22,154 7,682 15,541,664 10,383 3,249,658 15,930,463 "c8 a "=a"2 ® .£ S ® ® a .S3 5 c ! s i ofi ,§cu J; i g d S ® "a £ i a Discharges. S-3 . $.3 gjas o S w ? 5? 8 S§ ® Sfts g a 8 g g &■§« i ® g S|g sa afal ! £ J . je * a Is. g&s| * gg g w |l $ a t i - I I District - O'gl O'gl I SI'S 2™ £• g"g | ' °|« O I o«i og | =§5$ - § S j g J ofDi'stharges. jll jj|3l fitft fj] |! |U |l I fit fit j Jls| !H {I \l \l flU 1 1 f III I ' : : - ' : ~] ' ~ ~~~ £ : £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. 7,638 6,766,100 4 360 5,178 49 .. 507 499 941 223 57 313 223 12,977 520 369 1,147 5 54 2,799 23,612 13 8 1,585 18 11 Taranaki .. 1,781 1,740,059 2 70 532 8 2 304 44 136 90 28 55 27 2,069 138 140 285 2 1.122 4,103 19 0 103 11 11 Wellington .. 6,125 6,240,660 2 334 2.878 .. 6 495 187 422 236 63 276 90 7,244 245 304 1,022 20 33 4,214 16,079 19 3 692 8 7 Hawke'sBay .. 1.292 1,915,960 5 38 602 7 .. 157 17 118 115 12 65 45 1,972 45 120 333 .. .. 962 3,569 19 9 70 4 10 Poverty Bay .. 583 1,052,188 11 27 286 7 .. 88 24 59 181 25 40 18 1,032 17 112 110 3 .. 592 1,691 19 0 3 8 7 Nelson' ' .. 587 400,274 .. 18 238 12 .. 54 45 100 4 6 10 31 575 7 60 116 .. .. 271 1,452 14 0 26 4 10 Marlborough .. 244 472,233 .. 14 104 13 .. 17 20 26 11 2 15 11 454 4 14 49 1 1 141 661 19 0 6 1 8 Canterbury .. 4,266 3,607,717 6 275 2,246 18 1 175 35 448 3 7 173 29 8,548 155 573 1,004 .. 10 3,713 13,320 12 6 361 19 9 553 1 0 Otago .. .. 2,254 1,368,873 3 36 811 1 2 165 97 91 1 31 67 28 3,334 44 183 568 41 .. 1,001 6,304 8 0 142 1 5 Southland .. 1,480 1,217,936 .. 36 505 52 1 72 33 111 17 2 28 2 2,153 90 158 291 1 .. 665 3,499 15 1© 23 12 5 Westland .. 129 47,868 .. 7 65 2 96 72 29 2 7 10 264 10 35 61 .. 233 611 13 0 2 13 9 8 9 8 Totals, 1924-25 26,379 24,829,868 33 1,215 13,445 169 12 2,130 1,073 2,481 881 235 1,049 514 40,622 1,275 2,068 4,986 71 100 15,713 74,909 13 0 3,018 6 8 561 10 8 Totals, 1923-24 22,750 18,436,019 11 1,217 13,123 110 29 2,358 961 2,580 930 239 869 527 40,957 2,426 1,822 4,943 38 104 10,999 70,659 2 0 2,553 18 8 '

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B. —Return of Fees received under the Land Transfer Act for the Twelve Months ended the 31st March, 1925.

C. —Return showing the Total Amount of Money secured by Mortgage under the Land Transfer Act on the 31st March, 1925.

Return shoiving Number and Amount of Mortgages under Land Transfer and Deeds Registry released in each District from Ist April, 1924, to 31st March, 1925. ~ , vr i Amount. District. Number. Auckland .. ... ... ... ... 10,481 8,677,061 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... 2,027 1,955,691 Wellington ... ... ... ... 7,000 7,138,788 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... 1,773 2,596,921 Poverty Bay ... ... ... ... ... 610 1,074,734 Nelson ... ... ... ... 860 573,332 Marlborough... ... ... ... ... 370 628,628 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... 4,610 3,888,430 Ocago ... ... ... ... ... 2,965 1,835,925 Southland ... ... ... ... ... 1,663 1,311,115 Westland ... ... ... ... ... 141 53,258 Totals ... ... ... 32,500 £29,733,883

District. ! General Fees. Assurance Fees. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... 23,612 13 S 1,585 18 11 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... 4,103 19 0 103 11 11 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... 16,079 19 3 692 8 7 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... 3,560 19 9 70 4 10 Poverty Bay ... ... ... ... 1,691 19 0 3 8 7 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... 1,452 14 0 26 4 10 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... 661 19 0 6 1 8 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 13,873 13 6 361 19 9 Otago ... ... . ... ... ... 6,304 8 0 142 1 5 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,499 15 10 23 12 5 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... 620 2 8 2 13 9 Totals ... ... ... ... 75,471 3 8 3,018 6 8 Corresponding period, 1923-24 ... ... 70,659 2 0 2,553 18 8

Amount remaining Amount secured by . , f M . Amount remaining tv . . t secured by Mort- Mortgage during moun o or ." secured by MortDistrict. J 4.u it. a j gage paid on during , J gage on the the \ear ended s the same Period gage on the 31st March, 1924. 31st March, 1925. Ine same rerloa - 3i s t March, 1925. £ £ £ £ Auckland ... 57,580,035 9,517,296 6,766,100 60,331,231 Taranaki ... 18,554,435 2,023,843 1,740,059 18,838,219 Wellington ... 54,174,626 7,954,002 6,240,660 55,887,968 Hawke'sBay ... 20,014,275 2,061,105 1,915,960 20,159,420 Poverty Bay ... 11,370,365 1,073,039 1,052,188 11,391,216 Nelson ... ... 3,716,051 451,946 400,274 3,767,723 Marlborough ... 3,939,763 536,146 472,233 4,003,676 Canterbury ... 39,468,799 5,708,930 3,607,717 41,570,012 Otago ... ... 11,790,721 3,162,753 1,368,873 13,584,601 Southland ... 11,718,670 1,474,114 1,217,936 11,974,848 Westland ... 820,949 109,465 47,868 882,546 Totals ... 233,148,689 34,072,639 24,829,868 242,392,460

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D. —Return showing Arrears in the Land Transfer Department on the 31st March, 1925

Other Instruments unrecorded. District. Transfers. Mortgages. Miscellaneous. Auckland ... ... ... 57 59 82 Taranaki ... ... ... ... 12 17 52 Wellington ... ... ... 12 15 33 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... 20 17 39 Poverty Bay ... ... ... ... 4 3 6 Nelson Marlborough ... Canterbury ... ... ... ... 126 126 188 Otago ... ... ... ... 4 7 20 Southland ... ... ... ... 29 41 59 Westland ... ... ... ... 10 6 10 Totals ... ... ... 274 291 489

E.—Return showing the Number of Deeds remaining unregistered on the 31st March, 1924; the Number received for Registration and the Number registered during the Twelve Months ended the 31st March, 1925; also the Number remaining on that Date, and the Amount of Fees collected during the same Period.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (505 copies), £7.

By Authority : W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l92s.

Price 3d.]

Applications Applications Applications tLe already Unregistered 0ertifioates | awaiting detained for mentioned) Instruments . I , District. Compliance Examination received c lial ° e detained Title due but P c" r °rent ° with m the durmg the m the not issued. ; Month not Requisitions. Survey Office. Month -d Survey Office. , , and not yet Requisitions. yet passed. passed. Auckland ... 118 43 5 145 53 49 1 Taranaki ... 7 ... ... 34 42 24 Wellington ... 9 24 ... 181 115 202 Hawke's Bay... 3 ... ... 34 32 22 1 Poverty Bay ... ... ... ... 15 2 43 1 Nelson . . 1 1 2 11 ... 6 ... Marlborough ... ... s ... ... j Canterbury ... 3 2 ... 80 18 56 Otago ... 10 ... 6 16 ... 91 7 Southland ... 2 1 ... | 12 ... 37 Westland ... 1 ... ... ; 7 ... ••• Totals ... 154 71 13 ; 535 262 530 j 10

Beceived Unrecorded _ .* or ,. Recorded Unrecorded w . on Registration during Qn District. 31st March, during the the game 31gt Maroh Fees. 1924. ® nd l d Period. 1925. 31st March, 1925. £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... 1,314 13,050 13,827 j 496 , 12,126 10 0 Taranaki ... ... ... 13 1,041 1,039 15 882 15 0 Wellington... ... ... 4 3,573 3,520 56 3,225 1 0 Hawke'sBay ... ... 117 1,947 1,994 70 1,834 11 0 Poverty Bay ... ... 1 134 134 1 104 12 0 Nelson ... ... ... 77 1, L46 1,163 1 60 1,015 0 0 Marlborough ... ... ... 512 501 4 471 1 0 Canterbury... ... ... 21 1,862 1,821 i 51 1,611 19 0 Otago ... ... ... 31 3,316 3,105 : 237 3,120 14 0 Southland ... ... ... 3 676 662 17 675 13 8 Westland ... ... ... 1 90 91 ... 84 19 6 Totals ... ... 1,582 27,347 27,857 j 1,007 25,152 16 2 I