LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. (ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENTS.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1879 Session I, H-06

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1879. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. (ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENTS.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. The Seceetabt for Stamps to the Commissioner of Stamps. Sic, — Head Office, Stamp Department, "Wellington, 21th July, 1879. In conformity with established practice, pursuant to which the Eegistrar-General of Land has hitherto reported annually to the Hon. the Minister of Justice upon the working of the Land Transfer and Deeds Eegistration Departments, I have the honor herewith to transmit statement and returns showing results of such working for the year ending 30th June, 1879. It is necessary, however, to explain that in January last the Government deemed it desirable to transfer the administration of these departments from the Minister of Justice to the Commissioner of Stamps, and, upon such transfer, Eegistrars were notified that thereafter all returns, correspondence, &c. (excepting only such as pertained to points of practice, or involved technical questions of law, which were still to be addressed to the Eegistrar-General of Land), should be forwarded to the Commissioner of Stamps. Thus the information upon which this report is based has come into my hands, and hence the duty of reporting devolves upon me. Since January, numerous changes have taken place in the staff of Eegistrars and Examiners, occasioned hy the decision of the Government to extend the principle already introduced with success in Hawke's Bay, "Westland, and Marlborough —viz., the amalgamation of the offices of District Land Eegistrar and Examiner of Titles. In pursuance of this decision, these offices have been amalgamated in the Districts of Taranaki, Nelson, and Southland, thus effecting a considerable saving. The second examinership at Wellington has been abolished, and the second examinership at Otago will shortly also be abolished. Notwithstanding the reduction of five officers as here pointed out, it is confidently anticipated that even greater efficiency will be secured. The four principal stations —Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago —alone now retain the assistance of Examiners. Tho remaining six aro supervised by Eegistrars only, who, in addition to their duties as such, fill the offices of Deputy Commissioner of Stamps and Eegistrar of Joint-Stock Companies in their respective districts. The Examiner at Auckland is also charged with similar duties. The transactions of the past year have largely exceeded those of 1877-78, as will be'seen by reference to the returns hereto appended ; and the year's receipts have exceeded the estimate of the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer by no less than £6,860, and the actual receipts of 1877-78 by £5,480. With such an unexpected influx of business, it will not be matter of surprise that the expenditure has also exceeded the appropriation. When all the liabilities of the past year have been met, it will probably be found that the vote has been exceeded by nearly £900. The receipts under the Land Transfer Act, exclusive of Assurance Fund, for the year, have been £20,538 13s. 2d.; under the Deeds Eegistration Act, £18,822 65.: total, £39,360 19s. 2d. The expenditure for the same period will be somewhat under £20,500. The amount standing to the credit of the Assurance Fund on the 30th June last was £19,961 16s. 9d., as against £14,645 on the 30th June, 1878. The returns appended show—(A) the business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the year 1878-79; (B) the fees received uuder the said Act during the same period; (C) the mortgages and discharges of mortgages during the same period, and the total amount remaining secured on mortgage under the said Act on the 30th June last; (D) the arrears existing in the various offices at the close of business on the same date ; (E) number of deeds received for registration during the year, and those remaining unregistered on the 30th June last; as also the receipts from this branch of the department during the financial year. In connection with Eeturn A it may be of interest to note that, from the official returns of Victoria for the year 1877, the number of applications received there was 1.275 ; transfers registered, 8,184 ; mortgages, 3,615 ; fees received, £25,784. The receipts of the Deeds Eegistry branch show an increase over the year 1877-78 of £1,751, having reached the sum of £18,822 6s. The number of deeds unregistered on the 30th June last (840) amount only to one-half the number of those unregistered on the 30th June, 1878. I have, &c, The Hon. the Commissioner of Stamps, E. C. Hamerton, Wellington. Secretary for Stamps.

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A.—STATEMENT OF BUSINESS TRANSACTED unde r the LAND TRANSFE R ACT S for the YEAR 30th JUNE,1879.

APPLICATIONS. TRANSFERS. MORTGAGES. CROWN GRANTS. ■J, a 5 E r. ■a OJ 'a 1 oS ■7 o it '"' J. ■Jl ■~H : 00 DISTRICTS. AliEA. Area. Aeea. Aeea. a 6 o o a o tp Ph erf 1 Q o 4> a. 'to CO 3 B CO q h No. Value. No. Consideration Money. No. Town and Suburban. Country. Amount Secured. No. Town and Suburban. Country. s 9 i QJ Jl Town and Suburban. Country. Town and Suburban. Country. a r* A. e. r. A. E. P. £ 8. d. a. E. P. A. E. P. £ 8. d. A. E. P. A. E. P. £ s. d. A. E. P. A. B. P. Auckland ; 59 2 30 14,810 1 2 94,504 0 0 473 103 1 19 263,196 0 18 207,808 10 1 312 59 1 17-6 197,106 3 18 200,712 3 9 194 669 2 24 77,305 2 1 348 1216 377 4 41 16 54 156 Otngo 195 . 45 3 14 I 11,825 2 135 187,714 0 0 1265 575 1 0 33,293 1 12 3 45,759 15 0 949 353 3 2 7 81,074 1 22 591,258 7 0 454 340 3 8-9 50,852 2 11 1217 43 1037 46 46 50 34 .3 61 Canterbury ... -133 19 2 5 17,011 2 27-5 422,523 6 2 2898 733 3 14 329,396 1 28-75 I 1,116,712 7 7 2074 389 2 33-75 578,659 0 33 1,866,652 2 8 961 102 3 19 133,006 3 13 2176 67 2871319 319 131 147 7 121 Wellington ... 120 | 45 3 23 11,587 2 5 127,670 0 0 1575 1,249 1 13 107,835 3 0 436,067 9 2 765 356 3 26 82,976 1 27 506,459 4 9 134 139 2 26 66,035 3 28 — 5 1 1105 28 761 27 27 46 65 72 Nilsoa 72 47 0 3 2,890 2 6 27,731 5 0 157 50 2 12 1,911 2 31 23,151 5 0 145 54 1 13 30,120 3 19 65,854 15 1 208 83 2 15 3,564 3 11 130 8 ,;... 4 1 7 Southland ... 119 19 2 14 8,830 2 17 61,268 0 0 643 545 0 22 85,760 2 0 320,990 8 10 437 355 2 13 163,474 0 1 442,243 18 8 513 396 2 22 114,374 2 32 554 21 510110 20 21 38 Hawke's Bay 31 70 2 8-5 725 0 21 24,248 0 0 314 788 3 39 87,058 1 2 99,178 18 6 189 1,126 0 34 64,003 3 32 184,482 10 10 164 721 2 16 34,890 1 33 248 6 224 27 231 11 4b Westland 21 2 2 9 16 0 36 4,764 10 0 151 29 3 23 3,384 1 17 12,673 16 5 69 17 1 299 3,384 3 6 20,865 0 3 284 54 0 0 71 28 15 9 4 4 Taranaki 10 2 0 0 2,232 3 11 32,586 0 0 439 704 1 14 8,422 1 31 66,273 0 7 97 51 1 6 8,520 0 2 47,112 10 4 134 63 1 20-5 6,172 1 15 - 293 185 14 30 ... 6089 562 4280338 14 37 ... Marlborough ■ 030 0 11 679 3 12 9,251 10 0 112 1,338 1 39 3,907 1 31 15,869 10 9 57 652 3 30 1,549 0 18 22,905 10 9 85 1,906 2 0 3,345 3 33 61 6 .... ! i ! "I "I Totals 1167.! 912 3 35 I 70,610 0 31 j 992,200 11 2 S027 0,124 0 35 924,225 11075 2,644,485 1 11 5094 3,417 1 15-25 1,211,469 2 18 3,948,546 4 1 3134 4,424 2 31-4 489,603 0 17 10 6203 ,395 326 1305 ,49 Ill Correspond in 2 Year, 1877-78 I i 1174, 140 3 31 140,749 0 14 i)26,9S3 14 11 6770 5,059 3 20 900,373 2 9 1,176,159 0 30 356,887 0 28 4983 174 145 642 ,2,043,935 13 11 4081 1,876 3 27 3,329,579 14 0 2407! 1,267 0 9 398

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B. —RETURN of FEES received under the LAND TRANSFER ACTS for the YEAR ending the 30th JUNE, 1879.

C.—RETURN showing the Total Amount in Money remaining secured by MORTGAGES Under the LAND TRANSFER ACTS on the 30th JUNE, 1879.

I Amount remaining Amount secured by Total Amount of Amount remaining District. secured by Mortgage on I Mortgag,, during lue Year Mortgage paid (.if during secur.dby Mortgage on 30th June, 1878. | ended 30th June, 1879. same Period. 30lh June, 1879. I £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland ... ... 381,376 8 4 200,712 3 9 85,328 3 0 496,760 9 1 Otago ... ... 1,632,028 10 7 591,258 7 0 186,516 0 0 2,036,770 17 7 Canterbury ... ... 3,147,450 15 10 1,866,652 2 8 627,691 0 0 4,386,411 18 6 Wellington ... ... 780,109 3 6 506,459 4 9 164,940 3 6 1,121,628 4 9 Nelson ... ... 161,862 12 9 65,854 15 1 39,459 0 0 188,258 7 10 Southland ... ... 98,427 7 7 442,213 18 8 188,107 2 4 352,564 311 Hawke's Bay... ... 691,658 3 6 184,482 10 1 22,756 14 4 853,383 19 3 Westland ... ... 35,729 13 6 20,805 0 3 4,781 9 0 51,813 4 9 Taranaki ... ... 49,160 0 6 47,112 10 4 12,061 19 5 84,216 11 5 Marlborough... ... 67,163 8 4 22,905 10 9 10,787 0 0 79,28119 1 Totals... ... 7,041,972 4 5 3,948,546 3 4 1,342,128 11 7 9,651,059 16 2 Correspond'g Year, 1877-78 ... 3,329,579 14 0 1,224,495 18 2

District. General Fees. Land Assurance. Totals. Auckland £ s. d. 1,449 15 0 £ s. d. 366 12 0 £ a. d. 1,816 7 0 )tago 3,363 7 2 674 10 6 4,037 17 8 Canterbury 8,234 10 8 1,553 14 6 9,788 5 2 Wellington 3,167 15 4 409 0 0 3,576 15 4 Mbou 554 15 0 72 16 5 627 11 5 louthland 1,766 5 0 480 6 8 2,246 11 8 lawke's Bay ... 860 9 0 196 1 0 1,056 10 0 Vest land 261 16 0 27 14 0 289 10 0 ?aranaki 699 4 0 88 13 4 787 17 4 ifarlborough ... 181 12 0 9 15 5 191 7 5 Totals ... 20,539 9 2 3,879 3 10 24,418 13 0 Corresponding Year, 1877-78 16,810 8 7 2,994 19 7 19,805 8 2

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D. —RETURN showing WORK in ARREAR in the LAND TRANSFER DEPARTMENT on the 30th JUNE, 1879.

Transfers, Mortgages, Sfc, unrecorded. — Otago. Transfers ... ... ... ... ... 39 Mortgages ... ... ... ... ... 37 Requisitions (awaiting compliance with). — Otago. Transfers ... ... ... ... ... 11 Mortgages ... ... ... ... ... 8

E.—RETURN showing the NUMBER of DEEDS remaining UNREGISTERED on the 30th JUNE, 1878, the NUMBER received for REGISTRATION and the NUMBER REGISTERED during the YEAR ending the 30th JUNE, 1879; also the NUMBER remaining UNREGISTERD on that Date, and the Total Amount of FEES collected for the same Period.

District. Number of Applications awaiting compliance with Requisitions made on them. Number of Applications (other than those above-mentioned) received during the current Month which have not yet been passed by the District Land Registrar and Examiner. Number of Applications received previously which haye not yet been passed. Number of Certificates (including Certificates on Transfers) due, but not issued. Auckland Otago ... Canterbury Wellington Nelson Southland Hawke's Bay Westland Taranaki Marlborough 54 21 51 25 10 15 18 1 2 4 6 6 1 2 10 43 97 22 i "2 121 3 Total ... 210 17 11 286

District. Unregistered, 30th June, 1878. Received for Registration during Year. Registered during Year. Unregistered on the 30th Jane, 1879. Fees. Luckland )tago Canterbury Wellington kelson louthland lawke's Bay Vestland "aranaki ... Marlborough 155 317 352 386 102 71 104 13 140 36 4,781 2,167 3,536 3,962 479 849 1,084 124 1,147 365 4,796 2,367 3,610 4,232 581 878 1,123 128 1,214 401 140 117 278 116 42 65 9 73 £ s. d. 4,563 19 0 2,413 3 0 3,894 19 0 3,776 15 0 512 2 0 1,018 17 0 1,152 15 0 121 7 0 970 1 0 398 8 0 Total 1,676 18,494 19,330 840 18,822 6 0 By Authority i Geoege Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—1879. 'rice 3d.