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purchase the fee-simple of their farms before that date. The total area made freehold under these two headings for the year ended the 31st March last was 124,641 acres, the purchase price £196,174, and the number of holdings thus alienated 670. The conversions to freehold under the Land Laws Amendment Acts, 1912, 1913, and 191-4, were 377, covering an area of 54,093 acres, with a purchase price of £131,865. This now brings the total freeholds acquired under these enactments to 480,563 acres, in 2,614 holdings; purchase price, £884,475. Receipts. The gross revenue received was as under :— £ Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 214,219 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... 200,197 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... 72,323 Wellington ... ... ... ... 156,610 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 33,312 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... 57,163 Westland .... ... ... ... ... ... .19,098 Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 267,068 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 158,971 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... 67,887 Total ... ... ... ... ... £1,246,848 The following analysis shows the sources from which the revenue was derived :— £ Cash sales and purchase of freeholds... ... ... ... 176,389 Deferred-payment instalments ... ... ... ... 92,921 Perpetual-lease rents ... ... ... ... ... 1,713 Occupation-with-right-of-purchasc rents ... ... ... 109,143 Lease-in-perpetuity rents ... ... ... ... ... 195,505 Renewable-lease rents ... ... .... ... ...' 215,088 Pastoral licenses in mining districts under regulations—Rents ... 3,917 Small-grazing-run. rents ... ... ... ... ... 91,508 Mining districts land-occupation leases—Rents ... ... 1,550 Pastoral-run rents ... ... ... ... ... ... 182,999 Educational and other endowments ... ... ... ... 125,332 Other leases and licenses and miscellaneous receipts .... ... 150,983 Total ... ... ... ... ... £1,246,848 The revenue has exceeded the amount received last year by more than £30,000. Expenditure . The amount appropriated on the Consolidated Fund for the purpose of the Lands and Survey Department amounted to £274,574, against which the net expenditure charged up amounted to £209,403, being £65,171 less than estimated requirements. The administration, management, survey, and other expenditure out of Consolidated Fund upon works controlled by the Department or incidental to departmental activities amounted to £254,239, against which the sum of £44,836 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 £209,403, being an increase of £49,571 on the expenditure of the previous year. The main items contributing towards the increase are — £ Waimarino bush-fire relief ... ... ... ... ... 10,500 Contribution towards cost of forest-tree growing and planting ... 9,500 War bonus (increase) ... ... ... ...■ ... ... 9,360 Rangitaiki Land Drainage — Grant on account construction main arterial road ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,250 Remission to members of Expeditionary Force" (increase) ... ... 2,591 Maintenance and construction of roads before handing over to local bodies (increase) ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,368 During the current year a considerable increase in salaries will be incurred, owing to the return of officers absent with the Expeditionary Forces and the reclassification of officers as at 31st March last. On the other hand, a higher standard of efficiency will now be maintained, and it will be possible to carry out many activities which during the war could not be considered. The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account shows £594,920 charged during the year, as against £113,694 charged for the previous year. Statements of accounts in connection with these transactions appear in the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Report. The gross amount charged up by the Department shows an increase of £492.432 over that of the previous year, operations on the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account, the Hauraki Plains Settlement Account, the Rangitaiki Land Drainage and Swamp Land Drainage Accounts, and the Waimarino bush-fire relief loans being principally responsible for the increase.