LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1931-32.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1932 Session I-II, H-03

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1932. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1931-32.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Head Office, Stamp Duties Department, Wellington, 31st March, 1932. The Hon. the Minister of Stamp Duties, Wellington. I have the honour to submit the following report on the working of the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Department for the year ended the 31st March, 1932. The, returns appended show— A. —The business transacted under the Land Transfer Act. B.—The fees received thereunder, including the fees received on account of Crown grants C.—The mortgages and discharges of mortgages, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on the 31st March, 1932. D. —The arrears existing at the various Land Transfer Offices at the close of'business on the same date. E.—The number of deeds received for registration and the number remaining unrecorded on the 31st March last, also the fees received in the Deeds Registration Offices. Business transacted.—Registration business has suffered a sharp drop during the year owing to the prevailing depression. Compulsory Registration.—The work of bringing under- the provisions of the Land Transfer Act of titles not previously subject to those provisions was completed prior to the beginning of the year under review in all districts except the districts of Auckland, Nelson, and Otago. It is being proceeded with in those districts, and owing to the depression members of the permanent staff notrequired in the meantime for the ordinary work have been employed on this work, so that it has been carried on at a greater rate than previously. The District Land Registrars of those districts estimate that if present conditions were to continue—that is to say, without there being any material reductions in the permanent staffs and no great increase in ordinary registrations—the work would be practically completed in the following periods, namely : In Auckland, from three to five years ; in Nelson, one year and a half ; in Otago, eight years. Reconstruction of Hawke's Bay Register.—Out of the total number of certificates of title and Crown leases of land in the Hawke's Bay district that were in existence at the date of the earthquake and fire, estimated at about twenty-seven thousand, twelve thousand have been copied, in addition to a large number of mortgages and other leases. The Land Transfer (Hawke's Bay) Act, 1931, appears to be reasonably sufficient for the purpose of providing a method of ascertaining the position' of titles to land and reconstructing the register so far as possible. Hawke's Bay solicitors have suggested that the Act is unsatisfactory in one respect—that is to say, that it is extremely doubtful as to what is the effect, in view of the law as to novation, of a new instrument executed in substitution for an instrument destroyed in the earthquake and fire—but it has not been suggested, and lam unable to suggest, how the Act might be improved in this respect. The solicitors also contend that the work should be carried on with greater expediency than has been done, and that they should be allowed to assist by making copies of instruments held by them (they being paid for the work) as was done during the first few months after the reconstruction work was begun. The staff engaged upon the work consists of permanent officers of the Department (except typists and draughtswomen, who are nowadays mostly temporary officers), and comprises the pre-earthquake staff of the Napier Office, together with a large number of officers drawn from other District Land Registry Offices where, owin» to the depression, their services are not in the meantime necessary.

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Staff. —The personnel of the staff has been considerably reduced in numbers during the past two years, partly by the retirement of senior officers whose places it has not been necessary to fill, and partly by the services of temporary clerks engaged for the purpose of the " compulsory " work having all, except two, been dispensed with, the " compulsory " work now being done, as above stated, by permanent officers formerly necessary for the ordinary registration work of the Department, but whose services for that purpose are in the meantime not required owing to the depression. Although the temporary clerks whose services have been dispensed with were competent and satisfactory, I am pleased to be able to state that it has been found that the comparatively junior officers trained in the Department, as well as the more senior ones, that are now engaged on this work, give greater satisfaction and produce more work than the others did. The " compulsory " work is keeping fully employed a considerable number of officers that during the depression would have had insufficient of the ordinary work to do. They are earning fees that nearly, if not quite, cover the amount of their sa<l<iri6s As this is the last report of this kind that I shall personally have the honour of making, it may not be out of place for me to state that I am proud of the personnel of the Department, from District Land Registrars down to junior clerks and cadets, and in my opinion an administrative officer could not wish for the control of a more satisfactory body of officers. Safety of Records. —Subsequent to the Hawke's Bay earthquake a report was obtained upon the efficiency of the rooms, from an earthquake and fire resisting point of view, in which the records of the Department are housed. It appears that the Napier fire penetrated the Land and Deeds strongroom through the coke-breeze concrete ceiling, and the report shows that one or two of the stiongrooms in which the registers are kept in other districts are made of similar material. lam of opinion that in several cases at least records are not even reasonably safe from destruction in a fire of ordinary magnitude. This is notably the case in Wellington and Nelson, where I venture to think that the expenditure of perhaps £2,000 is urgently necessary. The following table shows the amount of registration business under the Land Transfer and the Deeds Registration Acts transacted during the last five years :

Fees under Compulsory Registration Act, 1924 —Paid for year ended 31st March, 1932, £4,522 ; outstanding, £27,199. C. E. N ALDER, Registrar-General of Land, and Secretary for Land and Deeds.

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Year ended 31st March, 1928. ! 1929. I 1930. 1931. 1932. ... ' ; . . '• • , 1 : . j ; | 1 - • ■■ " Instruments .. .. .. .. I 139,375 165,020 176,754 144,436 98,267 Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. j 40,254 42,568 46,613 41,240 27,727 Fees, excluding fees under Compulsory 1 £86,604 £85,232 £90,482 £71,230 £44,945 Registration Act, 1924 I

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A.—Statement of Business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended 31st March, 1932.

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Armiiratmna Certificates in Lieu of m . Crown Srants. Transfers. Mortgages. ! District. Town and Suburban. Country. Area Town and Suburban. Country. Town and Suburban. Country. ,8 jj J ® ® «3 | Area. Value. a Area. Value. g Town a Area Con- | A Con : | Amount ■§ | . Amount £ a a and Country. a sideration. 3 sideration. S ' secured. 2 1 Area. secured g ' « Suburban. fc ' fe {2; Acres. £ Acres. £ I Acres. Acres. j Acres. £ Acres. ! £ Acres. £ Acres. £ Auckland .. ..13 8 8,805 6 283 2,806 311 214 12,771 3,471 1,931 1,756,087 1,851 458,912 12,398,192 2,603 1,372 1,377,768:2 241 570,768 1791869 wStw™ " "' I " '• '• 23 8 1 > 572 401 124 146,776 370 42,998; 474,654 417 137 187,065! 519 98,703 '45l!757 Wellington .. .. 2 .. 150 .. .. .. 92 | 26 843 2,755 555 1,664,092 784 145,877 1 1,556,392 2,810 869 1 1,682,331 1 220 358,367 1 674 501 ilawkesUay .. 10 4 281 504 189 261,131 207 46.164 1 444,728 626 202 450.140: 327 113,770 '539'201 wsborne .. .. 1 6 j 22 114 223 139 62,674 121 42,705 | 122,220 169 96 103,676; 151 161,819 302'9S8 ?t els ° n , 3 •• 440 1 472 16,000 30 j 5 215 394 99 133,480 212 99,587 j 176,625 314 75 j 143.953 1 238 149,915 163'453 S!Zr •' *• •• ••..5 8 .. 103 78 29,H8 64 61,201 135,845 91 66 I 64;257' 94 117,122 1521413 Canterbury.. .. 2 . 20 .. .. ..44 6 1,079 2,255 450 1,091,124 715 155,266 1,174,836 1,898 512' 846,320: 1,053 333,474 1,120,917 " ta ?° , •' •' 13 4 HI>345 .. .. .. 44: 26 842 1,184 256 632,364 404 83,588 362,968 1,365 399 614,7741 481 225 28', 329 908 w TrT •• 12 ! .. 381 479 255 156,065 245 67,574 362,722 548 273 240. 863 1 423 i 13l!338 267'o26 Westland .. .. ■• .. ... I 17 2 1,012 139 37 39,667 62 10,668, 23,948 145 45 60,217j 60 16,401 28,500 Totals, 1931-32 .. 35 12 120,760 7 755 18,806 604 : 321 19,110 11,908 4,113 5,972,578 5,035 1,214,540 7,233,130 10,986 4,046 I 5,771,364j 6,807 12,276, 959 j 6,814,783 Totals, 1930-31 .. 52 492 155,443 31 4,353 123,209 863 423 38,712 18,652 6,863 10,518,760 6,741 1,474,040 11,550,054 21,040 6,669 14,262,91911,289 j 3,689, 511 Il4,203,287 . I I I Discharges. ,H» .1 Certificates of Title m . § j ? o ? 5 £.§ o | S§ §: issued (other than S $ S § a ■§,§ ® 9 M 5 S oiS uo ■ 8 _ "S 13 rê Certificates in lieu a % «' r 9 H o £. m'S § If! a .2 2 a * District. . g » of Crown Grants). £ g § 12.2 £ a 'o'S 0 ? ~S £ »°S ■§ a • Sa 8 £ 8 sa a ■§ ! SI ° -S io : a S-4 sā S al "SI'S SJf • § § | Amount. go. -J — "g, § | ||| S i&l j | -S|" ■§£ •§ 111 $-gg 3 S § § % % A Compulsory 0 , es « § g £ 3 § o 53 £ S £ « S a S ® 3 8 a Registration, <**""• g a , g g" g g A * 1 1 * Ê * J I £ I ' I •' Auckland .. 3,567 ; 2,539,771 1 403 5,091 2,492 38 25 247 405 487 183 28 137 235 9,183 128 371 1 328 38 5 712 12 129 11*3 d " Taranaki .. 717 521,159 .. 46 52 237 204 1 253 40 53 56 10 23 42 1,334 36 114 220 1 '815 2'o94 11 0 Wellington .. 3,690:2,913,705 .. 252 114 1,401 .. 2 367 56 206 102 39 121 72 5,226! 45 442 903 .. 55 3,563 8,'730 8 0 HawkesBay .. 621 532,786 .. 46 2 671 4 53 21 59 12 i 8 22 30 152: 16 16 248 7 1 374 1 589 19 0 Gisbome .. 252, 285,034 .. 20 .. 199 2 44 40 27 82 8 17 26 534 3 64 98 . '490 '893 IS 5 kelson .. 445 ; 231,224 .. 119 468 280 1 1 49 61 84 18 19 29 722 ! 6 54 176 3 299 1 356 19 6 Marlborough .. 139 190,016 .. 8 1 58 8 2 8 1 8 4 6 6 9 337 1 1 48 71 1 175 '438 10 Canterbury .. 2,248 1,432,853 .. 121 7 876 25 6 187 24 165 5 17 72 39 4,483; 35 508 880 5 3 421 7 019 14 6 Otago .. 1,350 694,000 .. 127 1,253 509 10 2 152 129 85 2 40 33 36 2,118 j 12 161 593 .. 6 1.632 14 0 Southland .. 734: 419,485 .. 27 .. 199 5 3 115 12 44 1,1 9 19 1,222 22 75! 250 . 1 456 1 791 6 0 Westland .. 125 56,115; .. 8 .. 284 2 .. 171 96 25 1 2 5 8 212 13 34 59 .. 146 '687 5 6 ■ ; I ! j Totals, 1931-32 13,888 9,516,148 1 1,177 6,988 7,206 299 42 1,646 885 1,243 448 177 464 545 25,523 j 317 1,887 j 4,826 .. 117 Il8,083 ~4Ō",630 1 2 Totals, 1930-31 23,140 18,759,796 13 1,608 j 6,206 11,120 173 66 2,041 1,080 2,060 552 313 703 809 38,056 845 2,339 5,323 4 403 21,338 63,484 9~1

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B.—Return of Fees received under the Land Transfer Act for the Year ended the 31st March, 1932.

C.—Return showing the Total Amount of Money secured by Mortgage under the Land Transfer Act on the 31st March, 1932.

Return showing Number and Amount of Mortgages under Land Transfer and Deeds Registry released in each District from Ist April, 1931, to 31st March, 1932. _ Amount. District. M umber. .g Auckland .. .. .. .. i. 4,256 2,669,765 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 719 522,159 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 3,692 2,914,405 Hawke'sßay .. .. .. .. .. 621 532,786 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 252 285,034 Nelson 471 247,423 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 139 190,016 Canterbury .. .. . . .. .. 2,248 1,432,853 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,607 853,454 Southland .. .. .. .. .. 734 419,485 Westland .. .. .. .. .. 125 56,115 Totals .. .. .. .. 14,864 £10,123,495

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District. I General Fees. Assurance Pees. ' Compulsory > Registration Fees. £ s. <1. £ s. d. £ s. (I. Auckland .. .. .. .. 12,129 11 3 .. 2,173 15 0 Taranaki .. .. .. .. 2,094 11 0 .. 168 15 0 Wellington .. .. .. .. 8,730 8 0 .. 630 0 0 Hawke's Bay .. 1,589 12 0 .. 205 0 0 Gisborne .. .. .. . . 893 18 5 .. 8 15 0 Nelson .. .. .. .. 1, 356 19 6 .. 300 0 0 Marlborough .. .. .. .. 438 1 0 .. 122,10 0 Canterbury .. .. .. 7,01914 6 .. 141 5 0 Otago .. .. .. .. 3,898 14 0 .. 678 15 0 - Southland .. .. .. .. 1,791 6 0 .. 73 15 0 Westland .. .. .. .. 687, 5 6 .. 20 0 0 Totals .. .. .. 40,630 1 2 .. 4,522 10 0 Corresponding period, 1930-31 .. 63,484 9 1 .. 5,755 0 0

Amount remaining Amount secured by Amount of Amount remaining . secured by Mortgage during Mortgage paid secured by District. Mortgage on the the Year ended off during the Mortgage on the 31st March, 1931. 31st March, 1932, same Period. 31st March, 1932. £ £ £ £ Auckland .. ! 77,649,184 3,169,637 2,239,771 78,579,050 Taranaki .. i 21,158,229 638,822 521,159 21,275,892 Wellington .. 72,931,021 3,356,832 2,913,705 73,374,148 Hawke'sBay .. 22,015,178 989,341 532,786 22,471,733 Gisborne .. .. 11,424,030 406,614 285,034 11,545,610 Nelson .. .. 4,126,525 307,406 231,224 4,202,707 Marlborough .. 4,408,210 216,670 190,016 4,434,864 Canterbury .. I 52,633,213 1,967,237 1,432,853 53,167,597 Otago .. .. 17,922,916 936,982 694,000 18,165,898 Southland .. 13,839,084 507,889 419,485 13,927,488 Westland .. 1,385,917 88,717 56,115 1,418,519 Totals .. 299,493,507 12,586,147 9,516,148 302,563,506

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D. —Return showing Arrears in the Land Transfer Department on the 31st March, 1932.

Other Instruments unrecorded. District. Transfers. Mortgages. Miscellaneous. Auckland .. .. .. .. 1 .. 3 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 4 7 7 Wellington .. .. .. .. .... Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. 63 87 109 Gisborne .. .. .. .. 5 4 3 Nelson .. .. .. .. ~ 1 3 17 Marlborough .. .. .. .. 1 2 Canterbury .. .. .. .. 9 10 26 Otago .. .. .. .. .. 8 6 12 Southland .. .. .. .. ..1 3 4 Westland .. .. .. .. 1 2 ' Totals .. .. .. ..94- 124 181

E. —Return showing the Number of Deeds remaining unregistered on the 31st March, 1931; the Number received for Registration and the Number registered during the Year ended 31st March, 1932; also the Number remaining on that Date, and the Amount of Fees collected during the same Period.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 932.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (430 copies), £7 15s.

Price ôā.]

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Applications (other than TT „ „■ i_ i * i- . ■ Applications Applications those already CtrumeTits Unregistered Gertifioates awaiting de.tamed for mentioned) . Instruments f ■ , District. Compliance Examination received awai mg detained m-n 5 u *• P r^ vlous 0 v • -l • ,v Compliance . Title due but Current -With mthe during the m the not issued. Month not Requisitions. Survey Office. Requisitions . Survey Office. yet passed. passed. Auckland ... 24 6 2 86 47 79 Taranaki ... ... ... ... 13 1 5 Wellington ... 2 1 ... 95 32 28 Hawke's Bay... ... ... ... 148 ... 12 Gisborne ... .. ... ... 3 ... 6 Nelson ... ... 8.6 12 Marlborough... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Canterbury ... 2 ... ... 55 9 3 Otago ... 5 ... ... 39 2 35 1 Southland ... 1 ... ... 2 ... 12 Westland ... ... ... ... 13 | 3 3 _ Totals ... 34 _7 2 462 120 196 1__

Received Unrecorded . r . Recorded Unrecorded on Registration duri on strict. 31st March, during the the sa £ e 3 i st March Pees. 1931. ? 6 f ® nd l d Period. 1932. 31st March, 1932. £ s. d. Auckland ... ... ... 27 3,515 3,434 108 3,038 14 0 Taranaki ... ... ... ... 21 21 ... 20 16 0 Wellington ... ... ... ... 7 7 ... 11 12 0 Hawke's Bay Gisborne Nelson ... ... ... 21 122 141 2 99 19 0 Marlborough ... ... ... 4 4 ... 420 Canterbury... ... ... ... 1 1 ... 1 12 0 Otago ... ... ... 83 1,174 1,137 120 1,136 19 0 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 Westland ... Totals ... ... 131 4,844 4,745 230 4,314 14 0