A—i

XIV

Miscellaneous. —Twenty-four miscellaneous notices were also prepared on various subjects, aR well as a large number of advertisements dealing with land and timber sales generally. Land-sale Monthly Poster. —The usual poster giving summaries of land-sales for the ensuing month was prepared and published each month. Copies of this are posted up in the various Land Offices of the Department and other prominent places for the information of the public. Other Work. —The staff has been kept fully occupied in attending to other important duties, which embrace the issue of Crown grants, Warrants for certificates of title, and miscellaneous leases and licenses. The necessary action has been taken to obtain loans under the New Zealand State-guaranteed Advances Act, 1909, for the roading and opening-up of Crown lands and national endowments preparatory to their being offered for sale or selection. Copious information has been afforded numerous inquirers regarding the available lands of the Dominion, letters being received from all parts of the Dominion and outside world. Bills and regulations have been prepared for Parliament and gazetting; reports have been furnished on numerous and diverse subjects; the constant details of departmental administration have been carefully and promptly attended to; Commissioners of Crown Lands, Chief Surveyors, and Land Boards have been advised regarding the meaning, interpretation, or procedure of the Land and other Acts dealt with by them; the fullest assistance has been afforded all local authorities and persons who require the help of, or information from, the Department; and every possible care has been taken that the administration of the Department has been in the best interests of the State and the great army of settlers who hold lands under the control of the ten Land Boards of the Dominion. This is largely insured by the adoption of modern methods when dealing with the correspondence, the avoidance of all possible delay, having all matters attended to by trained officers, and the most careful supervision to obviate friction, to prevent overlapping of duties, to increase the usefulness of the staff, and to see that a thorough and practical acquanitance of the many Acts and regulations governing the administration and disposal of lands and property of the Crown is, as far as practicable, possessed by all officers. Report by the Chief Accountant. The Chief Accountant reports that during the year the work of his branch has considerably increased. The number of vouchers approved totalled 17,815, an increase of 1,000 over the previous year. During the year a considerable portion of his time has been occupied in and out of the office in negotiating with Native owners with regard to the purchase of Native lands under offer to the Crown, and in effecting payment for Native lands purchased.

Appended is a summary [of the expenditure approved by the Department for the year ended the 31st March, 1912 :—

/ote I No. Name of Vote or Account. Amount voted (Net). Expenditure (Gross). Recoveries. Expenditure (Net). £ 74 j Lands and Survey ... ... 169,901 75 I Lands and Survey, Miscellaneous : 113,826 111 Immigration ... ... 20,000 118 j Improved-farm Settlements ... 16,000 119 : Lands, Miscellaneous ... 4,000 120 State Forests ... ... 23,632 122 Scenery-preservation... ... 11,856 £ 169,901 113,826 20,000 16,000 4,000 23,632 11,856 £ s. d. 191,303 17 10 47,124 11 9 39,644 7 5 20,729 3 10 1,068 14 0 22,855 10 9 5,938 16 5 £ s. d. 32,676 5 6 7,757 12 3 27,963 14 0 2,583 5 5 £ s. d. 158,627 12 4 39,366 19 6 11,680 13 5 18,145 18 5 1,068 14 0 22,810 13 8 5,758 5 4 44" 17 1 180 11 1 Totals 359,215 359,215 328,665 2 0 71,206 5 4j 257,458 16 8 1 Consolidated Fund, Unauthorized Account Public Works Fund Unauthorized Account Special Acts Deposit Accounts, &c. Land for Settlements Account (including Vote 123) Cheviot Estate Account Hauraki Plains Settlement Account Eangitaiki Land Drainage Account National Endowment Account ... Native Land Settlement Account 600 17 10 1,665 9 0 9,646 12 8 16,060 19 9 38 17 6 37,423 1 2 11,888 2 2 23,660 0 8 85,221 18 7 4 10 124 19 431 1 0 3 1 600 17 10 1,660 19 0 9,646 12 8 15,936 0 6 38 17 6 36,992 0 1 11,888 2 2 23,660 0 8 74,921 2 2 10,300"16 5 Totals 186,205 19 4 10,861 6 9 175,344 12 7 Grand totals 514,871 1 4 82,067 12 1 432,803 9 3