LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1937-38.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1938 Session I, H-03

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1938. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1937-38.

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

Head Office, Stamp Duties Office, Wellington, Ist June, 1938. The Hon. the Minister op 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, 1938. 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 amount secured by mortgage and the amount paid off during the year, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on 31st March, 1938. 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, 1938, also the fees received in the Deeds Registration Offices. Business transacted.—Registration business has shown a substantial increase in the number of instruments registered and the amount of fees received during the year. Compulsory Registration.—The work of bringing under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act titles not previously subject to those provisions has been completed in all registries excepting those of the Auckland and the Otago Land Registration Districts. In both these districts steady progress is being made, but an accurate estimate cannot yet be formed as to when finality will be reached. The Otago district should be completed within a year or two, but the Auckland District will take longer. The following table shows the amount of 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, 1938 : £4,453 ; outstanding, £28,908. P. G. Pearce, Secretary for Lands and Deeds.

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Year ended 31st March, 1934. 1935. 193fi. 1937. 1938. * Instruments .. .. .. 76,355 83,117 100,275 118,301 129,492 * Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. 24,170 28,268 53,203 75,285 103,723 Fees, excluding fees under Compulsory £35,240 £40,962 £50,547 £59,396 £63,930 Registration Act, 1924 * These figures include registrations and searches in respect of which no fees are paid or are payable.

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A.—Statement of Business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended 31st March, 1938.

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Applications. ° f * Transfers. Mortgages. Town and Suburban. I Country. Area. Town and Suburban. Country. Town and Suburban. Country. District. — \ — ; : "• ; 7 ; : ; 1 S3 1 IfH 1 Aiea Value 1 Area ' Value I Oountrv 1 Area Consider- ■§ . Con- | , I Amount J . Amount g Aiea. value, g Area. , value. g o§s country. g Area. atjon g Area. sideration. g Area - I secured. § A ea - secured. z; & | i ; I I | Acres.' £ Acres. £ Acres £ Acres. £ Acres. £ Acres. £ I Acres. £ [Freehold .. 6,970 3,505 4,084,221 1,983 260,223 2,854,781 Auckland .. ..18 9 550 4 411 2,462 355 100 36,765 Leasehold .. 205 72 286,582 142 26,454 93,228 4,783 2,704 31,127,451 2,618 506,173 2,643,924 [Miscellaneous 985 .. .. 510 f Freehold .. 611 337 382,111 231 44,666 494,583 Taranaki .. .. 19 16 2,639 .. 49 20 1 22,196 39 9,917 38,593 465 219 342,637 476 102,370 589,976 Miscellaneous 105 .. .. 115 [Freehold .. 3,992 840 3,446,243 827 133,795 2,138,646 Wellington .. .. jl 1 100 87 32 7,630 Leasehold .. 81 340 241,657 58 13,162 44,569 3,626 949 2,434,100 1,084 302,215 1,783,893 [Miscellaneous 719 .. .. 180 [Freehold .. 746 370 452,806 199 45,802 558,278 Hawke'sBay .. .. 2 2 76 27 3 5,223 [Leasehold . . 53 25 23,744 34 7,822 40,644 764 353 420,086 375 169,062 667,171 [Miscellaneous 237 . . .. 120 [Freehold .. 298 182 148,858 115 26,800 265,086 Gisborne 22 12 6,432 .. 11 13 3,137 31 17,776 20,365 243 135 174,706 147 88,066 340,516 [Miscellaneous 57 .. .. 27 [Freehold .. 371 101 208,350 178 23,381 158,045 Nelson.. 18 .. 3,201 [Leasehold .. 44 10 34,804 36 15,384 15,357 403 90 245,522 186 33,844 101,733 [ Miscellaneous 99 .. .. 52 [Freehold .. 173 126 70,314 65 26,477 133,086 Marlborough 11 2 1,168 ..I 8 3 3,120 6 7,193 9,137 156 110 81,596 102 73,864 165,792 I Miscellaneous 34 .. .. 30 Freehold .. 3,195 710 2,005,782 699 116,052 1,334,267 Canterbury .. ..2 .. 20 66 12 3,393 [ Leasehold .. 30 6 22,811 65 12,834 40.144 2,778 666 1,977,646 855 250,708 1,286,007 [Miscellaneous 652 .. .. 336 Freehold .. 2,405 604 1,635,036 497 82,109 593,922 Otago .. .. ..7 1 515 54 4 3,310 [Leasehold .. 18 3 12,226 40 28,634 87,131 2,436 540 1,149,904 564 228,128 515,507 [ Miscellaneous 339 .. .. 148 Freehold .. 1,047 461 545,030 283 83,391 520,014 Southland 24 .. 2,724 <J Leasehold .. 19 15 6,753 41 16,045 35,279 987 419 538,804 378 117,533 411,940 [Miscellaneous 204 .. .. 67 .. [Freehold .. 213 48 82,614 45 6,700 53,562 Westland .. ..1 .. 50 .. 22 1 2,841 <J Leasehold .. 100 22 72,051 21 3,890 10,603 262 59 132,491 76 17,005 41,387 [Miscellaneous 40 .. .. 26 f Freehold .. 20,021 7,283 13,061,365 5,122 849,396 9,104,270 Totals, 1937-38 21 13 1,261 4 411 2,462 705 182 75,326 Leasehold .. 618 529 729,081 513 159,111 435,050 16,903 6,244 10,624,943 6,8611,889,568 8,547,846 [Miscellaneous 3,471 .. .. 1,611 Totals, 1936-37 20 13 5,51:5 4 109 1,421 664 300 j 77,997 ; * .. j .. .. .. .. .. 14,580 4,858 8,932,966 7,295 2,446,324 10,486,485 » A departure has been made in respect of this year regarding the particulars shown under this head. Miscellaneous transfers comprise all transfers which are not transfers of land on actual sale —i.e., transfers of land from trustees to beneficiaries or to new trustees, transfers of mortgages, easements, <fec.

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A.—Statement of Business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended 31st March, 1938— continued.

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Discharges of H H Certificates of Title | V JS ° g .2 1 Mortgages - ii § sas | § | § i I §s o . °i ii ii i District. ~ J J °f CTown Grants). j J |1 % S|° | | |jS ||j * § || J I Amount, ft f? Comoulsorv ! * i I *I 1 I I 3?l I S ill fl'l 1 = 1 It | S > <1 > p t/ompuisory others S <s o ff-S V V E a o £ 5 cs <3 P » © g | g | Registration.| otners ' £££;!*£ £ I £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. .. 6,928 5,673,493 .. 341 1,265 3,867 13 399 251 844 2,103 47 264 228 46,642 1,910 4 18 8,797 20,849 17 10 Taranaki .. .. .. .. 1,115 1,080,569 .. 29 I 6 276 3 218 133 60 426 5 36 34 2,835 294 3 1,294 2,681 14 0 Wellington .. .. .. .. 4,991 4,408,865 1 208 7 1,814 2 382 51 225 75 30 198 112 14,656 1,348 .. 15 8,618 11,908 5 0 Hawke'sBay .. .. .. 1,261 1,431,151 .. 47 .. 385 2 182 41 110 814 7 51 54 2,301 334 .. .. 1,529 2,964 18 0 Gisborne .. .. .. .. 450 "536,160 .. 12 1 198 1 72 8 48 310 3 33 34 1,763 136 1 .. 478 1,246 6 0 Nelson .. .. .. .. 572 265,092 .. 33 1 342 3 64 156 95 31 35 16 29 2,951 192 1 .. 480 1,695 7 6 Marlborough .. .. .. 244 222,102 .. 6 4 85 21 9 26 8 14 16 10 1,727 89 .. .. 386 670 5 0 Canterbury .. .. .. .. 3,596 2,974,602 .. 116 .. 1,297 6 155 36 273 1 23 123 42 18,052 1,274 1 7 5,308 9,691 11 0 Otago .. .. .. .. 2,692 1,602,659 .. 61 627 864 2 143 107 205 1 111 58 39 7,513 759 2 3,072 6,658 0 6 Southland .. .. .. .. 1,234 785,562 .. 27 4 408 4 81 7 78 241 5 27 27 3,385 353 2 654 3,010 12 5 Westland .. .. .. .. 223 156,266 .. 2 .. 220 1 93 76 33 14 6 11 28 1,898 63 .. .. 300 895 0 0 Totals, 1937-38 .. .. .. 23,306 19,136,521 1 882 1,915 9,756 37 1,810 875 1,997 4,024 281 833 637 103,723 6,752 7 47 30,916 62,271 17 3 Totals, 1936-37 .. .. .. 21,396 19,490,243 .. 710 3,336 9,145 49 2,027 1,011 2,123; 394 300 743 552 75,285 6,048 1 58 122, 520 57.216 3 2 I I | 1

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B.—Return of Fees received under the Land Transfer Act for the Year ended the 31st March, 1938.

G. —Return showing the Total Amount of Money secured by Mortgage under the Land Transfer Act on the 31st March, 1938.

Return showing Number and Amount of Mortgages under Land Transfer and Deeds Registry released in each District from Ist' April, 1937, to 31st March, 1938. District. Number. Amount. £ Auckland .. .. .. .. .. 7,181 5,900,644 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 1,175 1,080,569 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. 4,991 4,408,865 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. 1,261 1,431,151 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 450 536,160 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. 575 265,442 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 244 222,102 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 3,596 2,974,602 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,772 1,634,025 Southland .. .. .. .. .. 1,234 785,562 Westland .. .. .. .. .. 223 156,266 Totals .. .. .. .. 23,702 19,395,388

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District. 1 General Fees. ' _ Compulsory j Kegistration Fees. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. 20,849 17 10 2,862 10 0 Taranaki .. .. .. 2,681 14 0 56 5 0 Wellington .. .. .. 11,908 5 0 203 15 0 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. 2,964 18 0 103 15 0 Grisborne .. .. .. 1,246 6 0 6 5 0 Nelson .. .. .. 1,695 7 6 121 5 0 Marlborough .. .. .. 670 5 0 72 10 0 Canterbury .. .. .. 9,691 11 0 85 0 0 Otago ' .. .. .. 6,658 0 6 876 5 0 Southland .. .. .. 3,010 12 5 55 0 0 Westland .. .. .. 895 0 0 11 5 0 Totals .. .. .. 62,271 17 3 4,453 15 0 Corresponding period, 1936-37 57,216 3 2 4,456 5 0

Amount remaining Amount secured by Amount of Amount remaining District secured by Mortgage during Mortgage paid secured by Mortgage on the the Year ended off during the Mortgage on the *31st March, 1937. 31st March, 1938. same Period. *31st March, 1938. £ £ £ £ Auckland.. .. 76,690,103 5,771,375 5,673,493 76,787,985 Taranaki .. .. 20,846,942 932,613 1.080,569 20,698,986 Wellington .. 70,501,266 4,217,993 4,408,865 70,310,394 Hawke's Bay .. 22,740,633 1,087,257 1,431,151 22,396,739 Gisborne .. .. 9,971,521 515,222 536,160 9,950,583 Nelson .. .. 4,380,629 347,255 265,092 4,462,792 Marlborough .. 4,530,026 247,388 j 222,102 4,555,312 Ganterb ury .. 53,280,371 3,263,653 i 2,974,602 53,569 422 Otago .. .. j 17,995,192 1,665,411 ; 1,602,659 18,057,944 Southland .. | 14,063,029 950,744 785,562 14,228,211 Westland .. ; ■ 1,467,737 173,878 156,266 1,485,349 Totals .. 296,467,449 19,172,789 19,136,521 296,503,717 . * It has been found that the figures hereunder are inaccurate, and this data will not be included in future reports.

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D.—Return showing Arrears in the Land Transfer Department on the 31st March, 1938.

Other Instruments unrecorded. District. Transfers. Mortgages. Miscellaneous. Auckland .. .. .. .. 12 9 16 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 6 1 16 Wellington .. .. .. .. .... Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. 3 5 428 Gisborne .. .. .. . . .. J 1 1 Nelson . . .. . . .. .. .... Marlborough .. .. .. .. ..5 2 8 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 27 19 53 Otago .. .. .. .. .. ..11 8 13 Southland .. .. .. .. ..2 4 4 Westland .. .. .. .. .. ..3 4 5 Totals ... .. .. .. 70 53 544

E.—Return showing the Number of Deeds remaining unregistered on the 31st March, 1937; the Number received for Registration and the Number registered during the Year ended 31st March, 1938; also the Number remaining on that Date, and the Amount of Fees collected during the same Period.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (485 copies), £8 15s.

Authority : E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l93B.

Price 6'd.\

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Applications Applications Applications Unregistered Unregistered Applications awaiting | detained mentioned) Instruments Instruments Certificates received r,- , • , Compliance for • j awaiting detained of previous to with Examination during the Compliance in the Title due but Current Requisi- in the Month with Survey not issued. Month not tions. Survey Office. and not t Requisitions. Office. yet passed. passed. . . . . . Auckland .. 17 .. . . Ill . 132 49 Taranaki .. ' .. j .. .. 2 2 2 Wellington .. j .. .. 63 85 53 Hawke's Bay .. . . j .. . . 94 14 Grisborne .. 1 .. .. . . .. 14 Nelson .. : . j .. .. 5 .. 4 Marlborough .. .. 26 24 24 Canterbury . . 1 j 2 59 5 3 Otago .. .. 1 .. 1 | 25 • • Southland .. i .... 23 15 j 17 Westland .. .. .. .. 9 5 6 Totals .. 19 ; 3 417 282 191 I j

Received ■ for Unrecorded Registration Recorded Unrecorded Distriot ' 31st March, during the 31gt °March, Fces " 1U37 ' £?£& Period - 1938. - £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. 56 1,527 1,547 ; 36 1,267 18 6 Taranaki .. .. .. 2 14 16 .. 12 9 6 Wellington .. .. .. .. 5 5 .. 9 18 0 Hawke'slBay .. .. .. .. [ Gisborne > .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. 0 16 0 Nelson .. .. .. 1 18 19 .. 15 4 0 Marlborough.. .. .. .. .. : Canterbury .. .. .. 2 4 6 .. 2 16 0 OtagoJ ' .. .. .. 60 373 414 19 348 3 0 Southland .. .. .. .. .. i .. j .. 100 Westland .. .. .. .. .. | .. | Totals .. .. 121 1,942 j 2,008 55 1,658 5 0