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involved in gazetting, publishing sale-plans, &c, frequently means that by the time applications are receivable the valuations originally fixed have become excessive owing to the depreciation of improvements, and consequently the sections are not readily selected. A statement of Crown lands available for disposal at the 31st March, 1898, is appended. Departmental. —During the year forty-two ordinary and special meetings of the Land Board have been held, at all of which large measures of work have been dealt with, the examination of applicants under the land-for-settlements regulations involving a considerable amount of extra work. The number of statutory applications lodged for lands offered for selection was 1,197, of which 218 were granted. The amount of clerical work transacted in the office may be represented by the following approximate figures: 21,000 letters received and despatched, including ordinary correspondence, rent notices, circulars, returns, &c.; 10,000 lithographs and sale-pamphlets distributed ; 900 vouchers, dealing with an expenditure of about £38,000, and 700 cheques, representing an Imprest Account of £7,500, were passed through the Accountant's Office. In the Receiver of Land Eevenue's Office, besides the revenue actually received, a sum of £30,936 was passed through the Deposit Account, 4,587 receipts given for payments, 4,988 refund vouchers with notices to depositors and Postmasters issued, 553 cheques drawn on Deposit Accounts, &c.

Summary of Crown Lands Rangers' Reports on Settlement Holdings for the Year ended 31st March, 1898.

Area of Crown Lands, Canterbury, available for Settlement, 31st March, 1898,

Sidney Weetman, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

Tenure. en 9 en s? » O CD iia o§ tH '0 9 M as 3 Area. Value of I: iprovements. 2 ri o Mrs CD -32 *H CD CD S-l a"" ■T3 o o2 X g N "O AA 9 *-' h a " fi I rHg O-S u -A s 3 •2* tis fc "3 H^ o HA o I AA 9 0 Required. Effected. Deferred payment... Perpetual lease Occupation with right of purchase Lease in perpetuity Village homestead... Farm homestead ... Small grazing-runs Cheviot Estate— Lease in perpetuity Village homestead Grazing-farms ... Land for settlements Totals ... 25 53 3 A. B. P. 12,335 0 0 1,264 3 30 334 0 34 £ s. d. 2,067 17 0 1,172 10 0 66 8 10 £ s. 5,450 1 2,893 5 71 0 d. 0 0 0 14 39 1 11 14 2 13 1 1 102 204 12 29 16,645 3 10 6,048 2 31 1,651 0 0 71,856 0 0 6,742 8 9 1,472 5 2 1,453 8 0 15,721 7 2 7,040 6 14,893 18 1,052 0 16,865 5 9 1 0 7 65 163 2 22 37 41 10 7 34 13 11 ' 6 116 91 31 416 23,928 0 0 2,486 0 0 44,880 0 0 56,532 3 7 6,042 9 4 845 8 10 9,143 0 0 5,025 11 3 23,089 0 5,443 0 10,846 0 34,593 9 0 0 0 4 99 79 29 259 17 12 2 157* 8 5 3 29 1,082 237,962 1 32 49,752 14 4 122,237 5 9 772 310 112 12 * In the majority of these cases the first year's tenancy has not fully expired, C< iual defaulters. that they cannot be cou: ited as

County. System. Area (First Class). Area (Second Class). Total Area. A. E. P. 10 0 71 2 0 54 1 26 80 0 0 338 0 0 A. E. P. A. 1 B. P. 0 0 Geraldine Ashburton Geraldine Waimate Selwyn Village allotments Village-homestead allotments a 205 3 26 Bural land under Part III. of the Land Act Ditto ■t Ashburton Geraldine Mackenzie Waimate 306 0 0 178 3 19 1,399 2 11 1,369 2 7 990 0 0 17 0 0 6,071 0 0 4,598 3 37 a • • • • • * 6,071 0 0 Selwyn Ashburton Waimate a • • * • • • Small grazing-runs Land for settlement 11 2 4 40 0 0 73 3 38 125 2 2 it it - • • • Totals 1,155 1 7 9,847 0 18 11,002 1 25