C.-l

5

Receipts. During the year the revenue was as under : — Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 212,905 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. ... .. .. .. 190,501 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 77,488 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 168,090 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35,544 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 57,801 Westland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 19,958 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. ..238,041 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 143,958 Southland .. .. .. .. ;. .. .. 69,606 Total .. .. .. .. £1,213,892 The following analysis shows the sources from which the revenue was derived :— Cash sales and purchase of freeholds .. .. .. .. 167,639 Deferred-payment instalments .. .. .. .. .. 72,226 Perpetual-lease rents . . . . .. .. .. 1,991 Occupation-with-right-of-purchase rents .. .. .. .. 110,219 Leasc-in-perpetuity rents .. .. .. .. .. .. 210,678 Renewable-lease rents .. .. .. .. .. .. 199,361 Pastoral licenses in mining districts under special regulations : Rents .. 3,401 Small-grazing-run rents .. .. .. .. .. .. 91,319 Mining districts land occupation leases : Rents .. . . .. 1,521 Pastoral-run rents .. . . .. . . .. . . 77,675 Educational and other endowments .. .. .. .. .. 122,754 Other leases and licenses and miscellaneous receipts .. .. .. 155,108 Total .. .. .. .. £1,213,892 Expenditure. The amount appropriated on the Consolidated Fund for the purpose of the Lands and Survey Department amounted to £242,046, against which the net expenditure charged up amounted to £159,832, being £82,214 less than estimated requirements. The administration, management, survey, and other expenses incidental to departmental activities amounted to £162,306, against which the sum of £50,636 was recovered for services rendered to other Departments and for charges upon expenditure of loan funds administered by the Department. The net expenditure was therefore £111,670, being a reduction of £20,465 on the expenditure of the previous year. The difference is principally accounted for by recoveries exceeding the estimates by £8,636. Further decreases in expenditure are found in charges on the surveys of ordinary Crown lands, the difference between the previous year's figures and the figures of the past year being about £7,000. As, however, considerable progress will be made this year in the survey of lands purchased from Natives, it is estimated that the expenditure in respect of surveys will show a substantial increase over that of the past year. Owing to the absence of a number of additional officers with the Forces, expenditure upon salaries shows a decrease of £4,000. The absence of these officers has entailed considerable additional work upon the remaining officers, which has been carried out with great difficulty. Under the heading " Lands and Survey, Miscellaneous," the expenditure is £19,000 less than estimated. A considerable portion of the vote comprises appropriations for the construction of roads and for payment of grants and subsidies for improvement to recreation-grounds. Great difficulty has been experienced in securing the necessary labour for the roadworks, while in regard to grants, &c, for recreation-grounds no money has been paid over during the war except in those cases where commitments were entered into previous to the war. The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account shows that £113,694 was advanced during the year, as against £32,324 advanced for the previous year. Statements of accounts in connection with these transactions appear in the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Report. During the year it was decided that the ratepayers of the Hauraki Plains Settlement be rated to provide the amount required annually for the purpose of the maintenance of completed works, and that the Rangitaiki land-drainage ratepayers be rated to repay the expenditure incurred in the swamp-drainage works. Demands for rates were issued before the end of the year, but owing to the lateness of the issue very little was received for rates at the 31st March. The gross amount charged up by the Department shows an increase of £155,338 over that of the previous year, operations on the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account, the Hauraki Plains Settlement Account, Rangitaiki Land Drainage and Swamp Land Drainage Account being principally responsible for the increase. A more complete system of accounts has now been set up in connection with the operations under the Hauraki Plains Act and the Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act so that the true financial position may be more readily disclosed. From the statement of accounts attached to the Hauraki Plains report it will be noticed that the Revenue Account shows a net profit of £17,590 at the 31st March last, while increment gained on the areas handed over to the Land Board over and above the expenditure incurred in the reclamation thereof amounted to £37,167.