C—l.

are not usually of a character suitable for close settlement, and the supply from these sources, except for the re-opening of runs, must diminish ; hence the future extension of settlement depends upon the opening up of the remaining Crown lands in Auckland, Taranaki, Poverty Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Westland, and to some extent in Southland. In view of the fact that the undisposed of Crown lands comprise as a rule hilly, forest-clad country, remote from centres of population, unconnected by railway or roads, it is imperative that ample funds be provided for opening them up for settlement, and that the Department spares no effort to explore, survey, and prepare the areas for selection as early as possible, having a due regard to the requirements and convenience of the future occupants. This should be supplemented by operations under the Land for Settlements Acts, whereby suitable private estates may be acquired and apportioned to meet the demands of the increasing population of the colony. With a failing supply of Crown land it behoves us to encourage the full development of the resources of the lands already under occupation. Lands Disposed op. In pursuance of the recognised departmental practice, Table B has been compiled to illustrate the land transactions for the year, under all systems and phases prescribed by law. Full details of each system are given in the numerous tables in the Appendix and in the reports of the Commissioners of Crown Lands.

Table B. Number of New Selectors, and Area taken up, from 1st April, 1901, to 31st March, 1902, and Total Amount of Money received during the Year.

On comparison with the past year's figures, it will be seen that there is a decrease in the number of transactions for the year of 153 selectors, and a falling-off of over half a million acres, principally under the pastoral runs, occupation-with-right-of-purchase, and lease-in-perpetuity systems, and a loss in revenue of about £4,200. A closer investigation shows that the area of cash sales fell from 58,700 to 27,288 acres, and the receipts from £33,987 to £22,317. As might be expected, there is a large reduction in the perpetual-lease and deferred-payment revenue; selections under the occupation-with-right-of-purchase rural system aggregated 447, whilst those under

III

sil Nature and Tenure oi Lands selected. 113 CM Area. Cash received on Average Holding. Transactions. A . Town lands sold for cash .. .. .. .. 156 Suburban lands sold for cash .. .. .. ! 95 Rural lands sold for cash .. .. .. ... 237 i Perpetual leases made freehold .. .. Deferred payment instalments .. .. .. 1 Perpetual leases .. .. .. .. • • 1 Occupation with right of purchase .. .. .. I 447 li Lease in perpetuity .. .. .. .. 241 ( Agricultural lease .. .. .. .. .. 1 Village settlement, cash .. .. .. .. 21 „ deferred payment .. .. I „ perpetual lease „ „ made freehold occupation with right of purchase .. 1 lease in perpetuity .. .. 32 Village-homestead special settlement (lease in perpetuity) : 30 Special-settlement associations, deferred payments .. .. j „ perpetual lease „ lease in perpetuity Improved-farm special settlements (lease in perpetuity) ! 9 . Occupation leases, Mining D.L.O. Act .. .. 71 Small grazing-runs .. .. .. .. 25 j i Pastoral runs .. .. .. .. .. 54 5 1 ] Thermal springs, Botorua Miscellaneous leases and licenses .. .. .. 440 | 1] Miscellaneous Cheviot Estate— Lease in perpetuity .. .. .. .. 3 j Village-homestead special settlement (lease in perpetuity) Grazing farms Pastoral runs Miscellaneous leases Miscellaneous Land for Settlements Acts— Cash .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Lease in perp9tuity .. .. .. .. 257 4 A. B. P. 116 1 16 432 2 1 26,739 0 31 A. 116 432 26,739 52 10 .28,892 65,468 27 9 1 455 469 1,617 2,506 96,708 72,050 13,432 1,422 2 49,235 A. E. P. 0 2 3926 4 2 8-4 112 3 11-7 £ s. d. I 22,317 11 0 52 0 0 10 0 0 128,892 3 9 65,468 1 29 27 3 0 9 3 9 10 1 455 1 28 469 1 25 52 0 0 10 0 0 288 1 16-1 271 2 24-5 27 3 0 0 0 22-9 10 1 14 0 37-1 15 2 23-5 179 3 2-8 35 1 9-1 3,868 1 13-1 10,232 0 34-7 257 0 34-6 40,851 1 2 8,288 6 10 8,176 12 3 28,565 11 2 26,722 18 5 25 16 9 163 4 0 163 16 4 451 15 11 1,127 14 5 11 6 8 564 2 9 2,865 5 4 99 0 2 185 4 9 5,670 5 10 3,185 14 0 514 6 7 23,828 19 3 71,513 4 1 1,511 3 10 22,067 12 0 30,027 8 8 9 71 25 54 1,617 3 26 2,506 3 10 96,708 1 18 572,050 1 26 440 113,432 2 7 3 j 1,422 3 0 474 1 0 6,397 19 5 800 11 10 6,285 11 11 250 13 8 274 8 11 51 19 11 1 257 1 2 0 0 49,235 1 3 0 10 2 0 0 191 2 12 0 10 1,476 1 10-9 476 3 19 783 2 395 17 15 0 79,022 2 3 257 15 4 157 4 0 7,272 16 7 60 16 6 2,376 11 11 „ village .. .. .. 1 J Special-settlement associations (lease in perpetuity) Small grazing-runs .. .. .. .. 11 ] Pastoral runs .. .. .. .. .. 2 - Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 22 ] 11 2 22 16,239 2 0 953 2 38 17,242 1 30 0 16,239 953 17,242 Totals .. .. .. .. 2,159 1,05 2,159 1,094,086 2 27 94,086 506 3 0-9 £402,124 9 5