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ANNUAL REPORT. The Cndkk-Secretary for Lanus tv the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Bir, : — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 18th July. 1912. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Department foi the year ended 31st March, 1912. I have. &c, • IOHN StRAUCHON, The Hon. the Minister of Lands. I'nder-Secretary for Lands REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. 1911-12. In submitting bhe report for the year ended 31st March, 1912, I have to state that, as mv duties as (Inder-Secretary only commenced with the current financial year, the transactions recorded herein deal with the work and operations carried out under the direction and supervision of my predecessor, Mr. William 0. Kensington. Crown Lands opened pob Selection. The work of settlement of our Crown lands has been prosecuted with vigour, and shows satisfactory results. The area opened for selection during the year aggregated under all tenures 965,993 acres. Of this amount, an area of 143,045 acres was available for selection under the optional system, being 20,200 acres greater than in the previous year. Under the renewable-lease system the area advertised was 182,799 acres, an increase of 108,869 acres over that in the previous year. The following table gives information regarding the area opened under each system and also for the several land districts: —

Table A.—Land opened during the Year 1911-12.

Lands selected under all Tenures. The number of selections during the year was 2,459, and the area taken up 2,635,329 acres. Excluding pastoral-run holdings and miscellaneous leases (which concern lands leased for short periods) from the above figures, the lands taken up on settlement conditions amounted to 4-72.090 acres by 1,503 selectors. The Crown tenants now on the books of the Department number 28,466, in possession ol an area of 19.391,23] acres. For the purposes of comparison 1 subjoin a statement showing the area ol Crown land ielected each year during the last five years under all tenure.-, the muss revenue received by (he Department from all sources, the total number of selectors, and bhe oei area of Crown lane! held at the dose of each year:—

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Renewable Lease. T Lease n H i — Cash by by Au<> «*•* *«£ as: W Land. ™ e "* mente. '■ ,l!l Land. , Acre*. Acres, Ami i. Acres. lei Auckland .. 9'i. 752 12,378 44.142 7,23(1 345 U09* Hawke'sBav 2,073 I .. .. 2,576 4 104 Taranaki '.. 7,402 .. 7,243 .. 371 302 Wellington .. 24,440 12+ 913 .. 265 1 Nelson .. 139 7,198 2,368 .. 6,8 Marlborough 2.885 203 14,279 15 15 1,419 Westland 603 4,529 .. 27 Canterburv ; 66,152; 21Jj 47 Otaeo " .. 4,472 i .. 147 10.413 18 .. Southland .. 4,882 ' 2,185 10!) I 233 Village Allotments. Acres. I2f **%£* '■—' ! *»* i m . proved Ordinary Nat i ona| - Ordinary Nationa) - 1'arm CroZ y e " d0 «- ■ CvoZ" end T Land. «S Land. g-» mcntn. Acri's. ; Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Total. I Acres. 164,968 4,757 [5,318 29,853 9,719 32,322 33?,811 192,042 109.190 75,013 385 2,505 '.'. '.'. '.'. 1.220 13,210 !! 296 '.'. .. 279,942 : 47,710 ' .. : 92,222 .. 33,000 35,629 52,024 6,487 .. , .. 67,611 i Totals .. 143,045122.691 73,721 ! 80,387 1,308 5,990 398 15,715 127,851 399,873 j 87,707 ; 1,220 965.99:1 * Includes 191 acres land for eettlemente. t Land f< >r settle! lents. t Includes 6 acres, Cheviot Estate.