C—l.

The principal transactions on the Cheviot Estate and Land for Settlements properties comprise:- Number. p f^f\ Miscellaneous licenses ... ... 31 3,456 1 9 247 1 4 The coal and mineral leases are in Westland and Southland. Under the heading of timbercutting, &c, the great bulk of the revenue was derived from the royalty paid on 37,646,800 superficial feet of timber; and of the licenses issued for same, 141 were granted in Nelson, 10 in Canterbury, and 12 in Otago. The flax-cutting licenses were nearly all issued in the Nelson, Westland, Otago, and Southland Districts. The miscellaneous licenses range over all the land districts, though the larger number and the principal revenue was derived from the South Island districts. It may be mentioned that the total annual rental payable on the licenses taken up during the year is £2,278 Is. The total area covered by the 3,117 licenses at present recorded on the books of the Department is 659,397 acres, the annual rental payable thereon being £13,733. Native Townships (Table 23).—N0 new townships were laid off upon Native lands under the provisions of ' - The Native Townships Act, 1895," the tendency now being to deal with such lands through the agency of the Maori District Land Councils constituted by " The Maori Lands Administration Act, 1900." The transactions for the year under the former Act comprise the reopening of forfeited lands, or the disposal of unallotted areas in townships previously offered. There were 57 selections of 90 acres during the twelve months, the annual rental payable thereon being £200; deducting forfeitures and surrenders to the number of 15, embracing 120 acres, with a yearly rental of £67, there now remain under this system 323 tenants who hold 958 acres, and pay therefor £1,332 yearly as rent. The Native owners of areas of land at Ngapuketurua, Te Ore Ore, in the Wairarapa (Wellington Land District), and Turangarere, on the North Island Main Trunk Railway-line, approached the Government with a view to opening their lands under the Act, but it was not finally decided that they should be dealt with in this manner. " The Maori Lands Administration Act, 1900."— As mentioned in the Survey Report, the officers of the Department afforded assistance to the Maori Land Councils, and furnished reports and information to enable the Councils to consider and deal with the areas of land handed over to their control. The Department also published plans and sale particulars for the submission to selection of the following lands: Otorohanga Township (Waikato); town and suburbs of Wai-o-tapu, between Rotorua and Taupo; Taumarunui Township, on the Main Trunk Railway-line, near the crossing of the Wanganui River ; Kawiu Township, on the sea-shore, west of Levin ; Ohutu Block of 55,121 acres, which was reclassified and again offered for lease by tender; and also 3,105 acres offered as small grazing-runs in the Paetawa North and South Blocks, in the upper reaches and on the western side of the Wanganui River. Endowments (Tables 27 and 28).—Under this heading are grouped areas of Land which are set aside for various public purposes, as enumerated in last year's report, and which are administered by this Department in the interests of the institutions and Boards for whose benefit they are reserved. The business of the year comprised in all 36 selections covering an area of 87,015 acres, on which is payable the annual rental of £1,991, to be allotted, as indicated in the tables, to the Auckland Museum, educational purposes in Southland, the Greymouth and Westport Harbour Boards. In Table 28 will be found the tenures and total revenues received during the year. The latter amount to £26,844 135., and the chief items which go to make up this total are: Pastoral run rents, £4,666; and coal and mineral leases, £15,536.

Table F.—Return of Number of Inspections made by the Rangers for Six Years from the 1st April, 1899.

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Number Value of Improvements. imber of Di ifaulters. Year. of Properties visited. Area. Required. Actually made. For Improvements. For Nonresidence. For other Reasons. Total. 1899-1900 1900-1 1901-2 1902-3 1903-4 1904-5 5,926 6,028 7,464 8,551 8,886 9,453 Acres. 1,159,202 1,173,093 1,980,586 2,110,542 1,928,804 2,431,827 £ 369,627 368,474 623,498 742,307 745,671 666,183 £ 887,998 876,363 1,147,495 1,654,845 1,683,674 1,585,670 447 363 826 653 609 720 695 449 910 629 631 663 54 64 146 97 59 26 1,196 876 1,882 1,379 1,299 1,409