LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1938-39.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1939 Session I, H-03

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1939. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1938-39.

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

Head Office, Stamp Duties Office, Wellington, Ist June, 1939. 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, 1939. 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 under the said Act during the year, and the amount paid off during the year. D.—The arrears existing at the various Land Transfer Offices at the close of business on the 31st March, 1939. E. —The number of deeds received for registration during the year ended, and the number remaining unrecorded on the 31st March, 1939, also the fees received in the Deeds Registration Offices during the year. Business transacted. —Registration business has shown a small decrease 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 : —

* These figures include registrations and searches in respect of which no fees are paid or are payable. Fees under Compulsory Registration Act, 1924—Paid for year ended 31st March, 1939 : £4,028 ; outstanding, £27,510. P. 6. Pearce, Secretary for Lands and Deeds.

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Year ended 31st March, 1935. 1936. 1937. 1938. 1939. * Instruments .. 83,117 100,275 118,301 129,492 127,668 * Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. 28,268 53,203 75,285 103,723 105,107 Fees, excluding fees under Compulsory £40,962 £50,547 £59,396 £63,930 £62,440 Registration Act, 1924

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A.—Statement of Business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended 31st March, 1939.

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Applications. C^Cro™^ants. U ° f * Transfers. Mortgages. Town and Suburban. Country. Area. Town and Suburban. Country. Town and Suburban. Country. District. — 7 — 7 ; 7 3 7 7 S Area - VaIue - I Area. jValue. | ||| Country. J | Area. f Area - sidStion. % Area ' | f Area " se™SSd. 3 3 3 H 3 P 3 3 jz ) Is g j a >3 | fc Acres. £ Acres. £ I Acres Acres. Acres. £ Acres. £ Acres. £ Acres. £ I fFreehold .. 8,190 3,468 4,319,656 1,939 307,484 3,070,911 Auckland .. ..1 3 325 2 1,332 5,500 [323 132 29,004 .. 252 95 186,599 134 20,917 80,012 L Miscellaneous 1,106 .. .. 500 .. .. 5,339 2,080 3,396,951 2,694 525,364 2,897,422 [Freehold .. 701 229 415,159 322 40,991 578,041 Taranaki .. 20 6 2,635 .. 55 17 36,209 47 11,423 38,866 [_ Miscellaneous 137 .. I. 153 .. .. 489 158 294,068 546 104,806 739,778 f Freehold .. 4,398 995 3,284,192 772 107,161 1,596,131 Wellington .. ..13 2 1,045 3 5 650 100 17 6,130 Leasehold .. 61 14 89,347 30 8,974 28,313 Miscellaneous 855 .. ;. 220 .. .. 3,624 777 3,135,308 972 221,988 1,570,066 \ Freehold .. 818 383 471,354 132 34,384 376,943 Hawke'sBay j .. .. 41 12 6,135 .. 47 10 36,076 22 9,032 31,654 L Miscellaneous 221 .. .. 99 .. .. 728 329 406,776 300 128,655 595,188 f Freehold .. 369 221 175,126 88 19,230 157,194 Gisborne .. .. ..] .. 1 .. j .. .. I .. 20 11 1,527 .. 8 2 2,540 30 14,772 43,671 (_ Miscellaneous 49 .. .. 42 .. .. 243 149 133,387 132 92,863 236,854 f Freehold .. 464 111 287,893 187 18,944 156,551 Kelson .. ..1 .. 200 2 27 112 11 1 1,939 .. 50 11 23,521 29 5,527 8,122 t Miscellaneous 85 .. .. 100 .. .. 458 108 260,478 247 49,451 157,966 ('Freehold .. 222 145 99,286 65 29,421 94,446 Marlborough .. 7 1 259 .. 6 2 3,340 13 5,368 9,124 L Miscellaneous 44 .. 26 .. .. 150 114 91,558 106 101,484 169,230 f Freehold .. 3,589 811 2,273,830 674 94,990 1,281,667 Canterbury .. ..1 .. 5 .. 23 6 677 < Leasehold .. 18 5 5,490 59 28,048 37,521 L Miscellaneous 670 .. .. 306 .. .. 2,892 663 1,833,885 894 407,363 1,151,811 f Freehold .. 2,690 547 1,908,102 476 65,430 828,280 Otago .. ..4 .. 410 45 2 4,854 .. 62 507 63,084 74 27,490 58,532 L Miscellaneous 258 .. .. 129 .. .. 2,659 497 1,422,267 577 180,002 518,868 f Freehold .. 1,125' 552 629,913 338 80,369 616,819 Southland .. .. 27 4 2,883 .. 20 11 11,662 44 16,703 30,457 l_ Miscellaneous 206 .. .. 76 .. .. 1,006 487 586,965 436 148,915 429,073 f Freehold .. 173 52 76,453 61 6,152 55,456 Westland .. i . .j .. 42 4 2,150 .. 84 15 69,441 27 5,361 12,262 Miscellaneous 46 .. 20 .. .. 269 56 190,955 86 17,068 115,993 fFreehold .. 22,739 7,514 13,940,964 5,054 804,556 8,812,439 Totals, 1938-39 ..10 5 1,985 7 1,364 6,262 659 196 58,193 .. 663 689 527,309 509 153,615 378,534 17,857 5,418 11,752,598 6,9901,977,959 8,582,249 L Miscellaneous 3,677 .. .. 1,671 fFreehold .. 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 | 1 Miscellaneous 3,471 .. .. 1,611 1 1 1 1 * Miscellaneous transfers comprise all transfers winch 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, &c.

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A.-Statement of Business transacted under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended 31st March, 1939— continued.

2—ll. 3.

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Discharges of g g Certificates of Title § o o°» |3j J-4j. .2 o Mortgages. '5 s *3 issued (other than g • £ 3 5 % a °-§ g 3 <e s -j I Sf . Certificates in Lieu g | o o o |<s 0 - g || go j§ -3 a of Crown Grants). g g *2® _ oc * ■ flSrrj ir 5 2 District. . | g c £ $ ii o « °§g g 8 iS* *§3 5g ® ® -3 — c qd - o as ai £. . 2 S ,e: £ :3 & £ ~ = -& g I Amount. $ § gg rommilaorv I » S S &j> I I g S "§ ° 2 Si?! 1 § § Sc-2 8a $ S ££ So compulsory! others 1 S « o ■g "g £ a o o a 3m p. «carf ™ ® g g J" | a aeglstration.j otbers - , | » 2 - g g g e £<S§S g f£ g* S £ I 1 | £ s. d. Auckland .. .. ..6 700 4,657,279 2 269 1,321 4,211 15 488 326 831 3,049 36 192 239 49,206 2,015 1 48 6,926 20,684 1 0 Taranaki .. .. ■■ 1,224 1,046,071 .. 44 1 315 9 233 62 82 699 4 19 23 3,110 342 .. .. 1,079 ; 2,722 7 9 w e Hi ns ton 4 441 3 773,687 .. 144 2 2,311 15 415 76 282 66 28 168 114 15,113 1,351 j 15 5,057 11,625 8 7 Hawke'sBay" " ! .. 1,033 954,516 .. 70 .. 374 2 134 21 134 705 8 46 43 2,875 333 .. 1 955 2,583 0 0 Gisborne .. 463 602,936 .. 18 1 200 3 63 10 42 419 7 19 27 1,747 118 .. .. 343 1,130 15 3 Nelson ■■ ;; .. .. 621 295,167 .. 35 3 392 4 56 23 111 246 19 15 26 3,783 217! .. .. 618 1,825 3 0 Marlborough .. .. .. •• 296 283,707 .. 3 1 112 10 20 23 11 4 8 15 1,000 97 1 501 683 2 0 Canterbury . .. .. 3,583 2,445,719 .. 109 1 1,221 6 190 70 240 2,579 32 113 47 13,049 l,2o0 .. 5 2,881 9,216 18 0 Otasro " .. .. 2,787 1,574,666 .. 95 778 907 3 171 66 228 13 108 70 68 7,211 817 1 8 2,311 6,776 7 5 Southland ! .. .. 1,323 780,167 .. 17 2 487 5 172 35 70 657 1 15 28 3,326 395 I 1 4 645 3,276 16 4 Westland .. .. .. 306 142,832 .. 1 1 119 1 117 56 28 5 7 4 29 4,687 74 .. .. 218 812 15 6 Totals, 1938-39 .. .. .. 22,777 16,556,747 2 805 2,111 10,649 63 2,049 765 2,071 8,449 254 669 659 105,107 7,009 j 3 82 21,534 61,336 14 10 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 j 7 47 30,916 162,271 17 3 ' ' ! !

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B. —Return of Fees received under the Land Transfer Act for the Year ended the 31st March, 1939.

C.—Return showing the Amount of Money secured by Mortgage under the Land Transfer Act during the Year ended 31st March, 1939, and the Amount paid off during the same Period.

Return showing Number and Amount of Mortgages under Land Transfer and Deeds Registry released, in each District from Ist April, 1938, to 31st March, 1939. District. Number. Amount. Auckland .. .6,881 4,796,838 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. 1,224 1,046,071 Wellington .. ~ .. .. .. 4,441 3,773,687 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. ..1,033 954,516 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. 454 604,436 Nelson 623 295,167 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. 296 283,707 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 3,584 2,446,069 ota g° •• •• •• •• •• 2,830 1,624,489 Southland .. .. .. .. 1,323 780,167 Wcstland .. .. .. .. .. 306 142,832 Totals .. .. . .. 23,005 16,747,979

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District. { General Fees. 1 _ Compulsory Kegistration l'ees. 1 £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. j 20,684 1 0 2,582 17 0 Taranaki .. .. .. 2,722 7 9 50 0 0 Wellington .. .. .. ! 11,625 8 7 161 5 0 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. j 2,583 0 0 77 10 0 Gisborne .. .. . ■. j 1,130 15 3 2 10 0 Nelson .. .. .. [ 1,825 3 0 85 0 0 Marlborough . . . . .. 683 2 0 51 5 0 Canterbury .. .. .. 9,216 18 0 72 10 0 Otago .. .. .. 6,776 7 5 880 0 0 Southland .. .. .. 3,276 16 4 58 15 0 Westland .. .. .. 812 15 6 6 5 0 Totals .. .. .. 61,336 14 10 4,027 17 0 Corresponding period, 1937-38 62,271 17 3 4,453 15 0

Amount secured by Amount of District. Mortgage during Mortgage paid the Year ended off during the 31st March, 1939. same Period. £ £ Auckland .. .. .. 6,294,373 4,657,279 Taranaki .. .. .. 1,033,846 1,046,071 Wellington .. .. .. 4,705,374 3,773,687 Hawke'sBay .. .. .. 1,001,964 954,516 Gisborne .. .. .. 370,241 602,936 Nelson .. .. .. 418,444 295,167 Marlborough .. 260,788 283,707 Canterbury .. .. .. 2,985,696 2,445,719 0ta g° •• •• •• 1,941,135 1,574,666 Southland .. .. .. 1,016,038 780,167 Westland .. .. .. 3ti6,948 142,832 Totals •• ■■ •• 20,334,847 16,556,747

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D.-Return showing Arrears in the Land Transfer Department on the 31st March, 1939.

Other Instruments unregistered. District. Transfers. Mortgages. Miscellaneous. Auckland .. .. .. .. ..52 39 76 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. ..4 4 6 Wellington .. .. . . . .... Hawke's Bay .. .. . . .. .. 14 10 3 Gisborne .. .. .. .. .. ..11 10 30 Nelson .. .. . . . . . . .. 10 4 32 Maryborough .. .. .. .. ..4 5 8 Canterbury . . .. .. .. .. 27 25 30 Otago .. .. .. .. .. ..11 17 30 Southland 8 16 11 Westland .. .. .. .. .. .... Totals .. .. .. ..141 130 226

E. —Return showing the Number of Deeds remaining unrecorded on the 31st March, 1938; the Number received for Registration and the Number recorded during the Year ended 31st March, 1939; also the Number remaining unrecorded on that Date, and the Amount of Fees collected during the same Period.

Approximate Cost uj Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (535 copies), £8 IBs.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1939. Price 6d.']

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Applications Applications Applications A 1 <i Unregistered Unregistered Applications awaiting detained ' ,. q f Instruments Instruments Certificates received rt T r ! moil tlOllod ... . , . , . . „. . . . Compliance for . j ' awaiting detained of previous to District. -,i m • j.' received „ ,. s , .7 , n .., , , . . with Examination , . th Compuanoe in the litle due but Current Requisi- in the Month wit ' 1 Survey not issued. Month not tions. Survey Office. not t Requisitions. Office. yet passed. passed. i ] Auckland ..13 .. .. 106 153 63 1 Taranaki .... .. .. 9 3 3 Wellington .... 2 . . 73 49 43 1 Hawke's Bay .. I .. .. .. 83 17 Gisborne ..1 .. .. 15 4 21 Nelson ..1 .. .. 12 8 1 Marlborough .. .. .. . . 3 .. 2 Canterbury ..1 .. .. 58 5 52 1 Otago .. 2 2 .. 12 .. 29 Southland .... .. .. 29 22 22 Westland .... .. .. 19 .. 7 Totals ..18 4 419 261 243 3

I I j Received Unrecorded 0 . ,. Recorded Unrecorded Registration , . Dietriot " 31st March, * he , the same SlstMarch, Fees> 1938 - altMarch, Peri0d - 193!) - 1939. | i | j j fa. d. Auckland .. .. 36 1,053 1,065 ! 24 885 2 4 Taranaki .. .. .. .. 8 8 .. 5 15 0 Wellington .. .. .. .. 15 15 .. 2 14 0 Hawke's Bay Gisborne .. .. .. .. 2 2 .. 1 12 1 Nelson .. .. .. .. 20 20 .. 11 19 0 Marlborough Canterbury .. .. .. .. 3 3 .. 130 Otago .. .. ..19 199 210 8 195 6 6 Southland Westland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 030 Totals .. .. 55 1,300 1,323 32 1,103 14 11 I |