C.—6.

Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900" (REPORT ON).

Pretented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with Subsection (2) Section 73 of "The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900." '

The Land Purchase Inspector to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. Sir, ~ Land for Settlements Department, Wellington Tv a , , • 19th Ma y- 1906 - -* *v I 6 , hon ? ur to submit a report of the operations under the Land for Settlements (Vet for the year which ended on the 31st March, 1906. At the beginning of the financial year the account opened £ s. d. with a credit balance of ... ... ... 507 _ r. During the year debentures were sold amounting to ... 4731725 0 0 Rent, interest, credits, and recoveries amounted to ... 10 0 Making a total at the credit of the account during the year of £1,394,889 7 7 Land purchases during the year amount to ... ... 780,632 12 5 There was expended on roads, surveys, raising debentures, and departmental expenses .. ... ... _ _% q k Interest on debentures amounted to ... ... ... 162*760 3 7 Leaving a balance in the account to begin the new year of 404,074 11 2 £1,394,889 7 7 The Land for Settlements Account may be thus stated:— D F- . £ Cr. £ Loans raised ... ... ... 4,584,507 Purchase-money 4 122 648 Rents, &c, received 947,040 Incidental expenses ... '.'.' '285746 Interest 719,078 Balance ... ... ... 404,075 £5,531,547 £M31^547 The value of the land paid for at the 31st March, 1906 (including expenses) is £4 408 394 and th \ X^Z ta a& T ! a 1 ye f u are e l ual * 0 /5 7 P er cent - of that sum > although sixteen estates, which cost 4229,996, had not been opened for selection, and in forty estates land valued at £8 182 Der annum was unlet, and consequently yielded no income. ' There were twenty-two estates finally paid for last year, having an area 0f'269 399 acres • and of this area six estates, containing 242,403 acres, were opened for selection.