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5

The selections made by discharged soldiers are also included in the figures quoted, but as these last-mentioned lands are dealt with in a separate report prepared and laid before Parliament in accordance with the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, there is no necessity tc repeat the information in this report. The usual table giving separate figures under each tenure appears in the appendix as No. 3. Freeholds acquired. During the year the following lands were purchased outright for cash :— ~T , Area, Price Number. £ Town lands ... ... 114 81 6,246 Suburban lands ... ... ... ... 21 100 3,51,3 Rural lands ... ... ... ... 178 5,233 11,699 Totals ... ... ... ... 313 5,414 21,463 The leaseholds and deferred-payment holdings converted to freeholds during the year covered an area of 179,034 acres, in 758 holdings, the total purchase price being £224,460. The holdings converted to freehold under the Land Laws Amendment Acts of 1912, 1913, and 1914, and included in the gross total given before, comprised an area of 76,119 acres, in 401 holdings, the purchase price being £131,109. This now brings the total freeholds acquired under these enactments to 379,092 acres, in 1,947 holdings; purchase price, £648,281. Receipts. During the year the revenue received was as under : — £ Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 237,301 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... 185,992 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 72,531 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 171,604 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 41,425 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... 51,338 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19,010 Canterbury... ... ... ... ... ... ... 246,077 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 151,685 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64,403 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... £1,241,366 The following analysis shows the sources from which the revenue was derived : — £ Cash sales and purchase of freeholds ... ... . . ... 222,211 Defered-payment instalments ... ... ... 63,537 Perpetual-lease rents ... ... ... ... ... 2,033 Occupation-with-right-of-purchase rents ... ... ... 116,161 Lease-in-perpetuity rents ... ... ... ... ... 216,514 Renewable-lease rents ... ... ... ... ... 184,377 Pastoral licenses in mining districts under special regulations : Rents 2,825 Sniall-grazing-run rents ... ... ... ... ... 87,735 .Mining districts land-occupation leases: Rents ... ... ... 1,574 Pastoral-run rents ... ... ... ... ... ... 78,670 Educational and other endowments ... ... ... ... 131,235 Other leases and licenses and miscellaneous receipts ... ... 134,1-94 Total ... ... ... ... ... ...£1,241,366 This total shows a diminution of £45,158 on the previous year's figures, which is more than accounted for by cash sales and purchase of freeholds having decreased. It must be borne in mind that the above amount does not include the statutory deductions, such as rebates of rent granted to tenants who pay their half-yearly rent within a month of its due date; reductions of rent consequent on revaluation, &c.; whilst lessened rent is now accruing in consequence of the former acquisition of the fee-simple of Crown leaseholds. Expenditure. The statement of expenditure discloses that under the various appropriations £278,952 was voted, and that the net expenditure was £193,166, or £85,786 less than the estimated requirements. Salaries and general departmental expenditure were £25,782 less than the appropriations. This reduction is due to the fact that a considerable portion of the staff is now serving with the Forces, and their places have either been filled with smaller-paid temporary men or cadets. In some cases positions have not been filled owing to reduction in survey operations through the war. The curtailment of surveys is reflected in the amount of wages, &c, paid to Survey labourers and in payment to contract surveyors, the amount being approximately £16,500 less than estimated.