8.—13

1909.

NEW ZEALAND.

GOVERNMENT ADVANCES TO SETTLERS OFFICE (REPORT BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH, 1909.

['resented to bot/i Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. A further record has been established this year in the amount of business transacted, the applications numbering 4,471, amounting to £2,050,252, as against 3,183 applications, amounting to £1,668,135, for the previous year —an increase of 1,288 applications for £382,117. The advances actually granted during the year numbered 3,043, amounting to £1,493,835 125., which exceeds those of the previous year by 672, amounting to £296,419 2s. lid. The Board had up to the 31st March, 1909, authorised 25,534 advances, amounting to £9,206,925. Applicants to the number of 2,794 declined the grants offered them, amounting to £1,139,810, so that the net advances authorised to the 31st March, 1909, numbered 22,740, and amounted to £8,067,115. The total amount of advances actually paid over during the year for both the Advances to Settlers and Advances to Workers Departments was £1,792,019 18s. sterling. Classified according to provincial districts, the total advances authorised to date are : — Provincial Number of Amount of Advances District. Applications. authorised. Auckland .. .. .. 6,435 2,011,663 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 3,649 1,636,409 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. 1,236 367,135 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 6,567 2,475,478 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 781 321,305 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. 348 110,620 Westland .. .. .. .. . . 534 127,530 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 2,191 716,000 Otago .. ~ .. .. .. .. 1,690 673,455 , Southland .. .. 2,103 767,330 Total .. .. .. .. 25,534 £9,206,925 Classified according to provincial districts, the advances authorised during the year ended 31st March, 1909, are :— ■ • i Number of Amount of Advances rtovmcial Applications. authorised. District. * 1 £ Auckland 953 304,380 Taranaki .. .. 348 185,860 Hawke's Bay 123 46,860 Wellington 908 389,800 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 105 41,445 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. 64 20,205 Westland .. .. -. 66 12,250 Canterbury .. .. . . 280 112,845 Otago .. .. .. .. .. •• HI 45,395 Southland .. .. .. 120 43,955 Total .. .. .. . . 3,078 £1,202,995 The advances outstanding are as follows : —■ Number. ■ Not exceeding £500 .. .. .. .. 10,059 2,049,807 12 6 Exceeding £500 but not exceeding £1,000 .. 2,017 1,476,684 3 2 Exceeding £1,000 but not exceeding £2,000 .. 892 1,225,370 6 9 Exceeding £2,000 but not exceeding £3,000 .. 142 366,179 111 Total .. .. .. 13,110 £5,118,041 4 4