XLVII

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The balances of deposits, &c, at the credit of the Ordinary Deposit Account of the Receivers of Land Revenue were as follows : — £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,858 13 8 New Plymouth ... ... ... ... ... ... 303 2 0 Hawera ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 1 0 Napier... ... ... ... ... ... ... 167 2 11 Gisborne ... ... ... ... ... ... 126 010 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... 671 5 6 Blenheim ... ... ... ... ... ... 529 8 8 Nelson... ... ... ... ... ... ... 707 12 2 Reefton ... ... ... ... ... ... 60 1 3 Westport ... ... ... ... ... ... 99 18 4 Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... ... 567 18 1 Ahaura ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 8 0 Christchurch ... ... ... ... ... .:. 1,694 7 6 Dunedin ... ... ... ... ... 673 3 6 Invercargill ... ... ... ... ... ... 517 12 8 £10,020 16 1 This is an increase upon last year's total of £1,337 13s. 6d., the offices of Auckland, Blenheim, Nelson, Christchurch, and Invercargill being responsible for the increase. The total amount passed through the above account for the year was £84,023 Is. 10d., being an increase of .£4,979 12s. on the previous year. In the course of the past year I personally inspected the following District Offices and audited the accounts of the Receivers of Land Revenue : viz., Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Auckland, Christchurch, Invercargill, Dunedin, Westport, Reefton, and Hokitika. On my return to the Head Office I furnished special reports and balance-sheets of the transactions of each office. The staff of my office have always plenty of work before them. The work of audit and examination of the various Receivers' cash-books has to be assiduously kept going, each officer having certain cash-books to audit, and cash appearing there to credit on the selectors' cards whenever the books are received from the Treasury. Besides the work of audit, all the cards and Commissioners' returns received are carefully examined, and a check applied whenever it is possible by comparing the details with pamphlets and posters : and in connection therewith 2,118 new cards were received; 1,050 Commissioners' returns; 1,465 queries despatched; 412 memos written; 343 memos received ; 66 refund vouchers examined and certified to ; and 104 parcels despatched. The errors and omissions disclosed by queries, &c, for the year were 1,206.

Table No. 1. — Comparative Statement of Receipts on Account of Territorial Revenue for the Financial Years 1901-2 and 1902-3.

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Land District. 1901-2. 1902-3. Increase. Decrease. ! Luckland ... ... 44,649 ?aranaki ... ... 17,194 lawke's Bay ... 14,478 Wellington ... ... 29,757 Marlborough ... 8,874 Jelson ... ... 8,899 Vestland ... ... 5,614 Janterbury ... ... 53,447 )tago ... ... 52,567 Southland ... ... 14,136 £ a. 44,649 6 17,194 14 14,478 1 29,757 11 8,874 1 8,899 14 5,614 8 53,447 6 52,567 8 14,136 7 1 1 1 6 L4 1 LI 1 L4 8 6 8 7 d. 2 9 3 9 9 9 5 7 6 7 2 9 3 9 9 9 5 7 6 7 £ a. d. 40,802 2 11 14,005 12 5 15,788 13 10 34,596 4 11 9,675 7 4 7,962 13 4 4,385 10 8 58,954 11 2 54,084 19 1 12,021 19 5 £ a. d. £ a. 3,847 3 3,189 2 d. 3 4 1,310 12 7 4,838 13 2 801 5 7 937' 1 1,228 17 5 9 5,507 4 7 1,517 10 7 2,114 8 2 249,619 1 6 252,277 15 249,619 1 1 6 13,975 6 6 11,316 12 11 11,316 12 11 Net increase 2,658 13 7 2,658 13 7 Actual receipts Estimated receipts £ a. ... 252,277 15 ... 230,000 0 s. d. 15 1 0 0 d. 1 0 Excess ... £22,277 15 1