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1882. NEW ZEALAND.

CROWN LANDS DEPARTMENT (REPORT UPON THE, FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1882.)

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

The Secbetaey for Ceown Lands to the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Sic, — General Crown Lands Office, Wellington, Ist July, 1882. I have the honor to forward the report of the Crown Lands Department for the twelve months ended 31st March, 1882, together with the areas of lands disposed of arranged in tables, for the eleven land districts, in the same manner as in former annual reports. I have, &c, James McKeeeow, The Hon. "William Holleston, Minister of Lands. Secretary for Crown Lands. EEPOET. In presenting the Crown Lands Report for the twelve months ended 31st March, 1882, it is satisfactory to observe that the total revenue arising from the various sources of land sales for cash and deferred payments, and especially from pastoral rents, is very considerably greater than for the previous twelve months. The area alienated for cash and disposed of on settlement conditions aggregates 314,958 acres. Considerable as this area is in itself, it is not 1 per cent, on the 33,000,000 acres of Crown lands; or, after deducting 9,000,000 acres of mountain tops, lakes, and barren country, 13 per cent, on 24,000,000 acres of available country. Again, one-half of this is held on pastoral lease ; and from its auriferous nature, price, temporary reservation, or other circumstances, it also has been out of the category of lands open for selection during the twelve months under review. Selectors have therefore been restricted to a nominal 12,0110,000 acres; but as this area is either under forest or difficult of access, it practically comes to this, that the area of land which the department can prepare by survey and render accessible by formation of road-lines is the measure of what the public has to choose from. Accepting this view, it is pleasant to note for the future that, consequent on the large areas recently withheld from the leases of the Otago runs and presently under survey, also extensive blocks of excellent bush lands in the North Island now being opened out by road works and survey, there will be more land available for settlement during the current twelve months than there has been for any similar period for many years. There are eager inquiries as to when the various lands will be open for application or sale, and there is evidently a strong desire on the part of many persons to obtain land. It will be more interesting to treat of the subjects of this report under the several headings than in a discursive manner; but before doing so, the following general summary of the statistical information in the tables of the appendix will give, in a short compass, the transactions for the year:— Land sold on immediate payments — A. it. p. Purchasers. Scrip. ' Cash Received. Town lands ... 303 1 3 sold to 704) £■$.&-. £ s. d. Suburban... ... 1,482 311 „ 271 [ 2,840 1 8 284,199 17 9 Eural ... ... 195,390 020 „ 1,257) Land sold on deferred payments— A. E. p. Purchasers. Agricultural ... ... 74,335 322 sold to 497"| Pastoral ... ... ... 24,624 020 „ 9 | Tillage settlement ... ... 1,189 119 „ 198 J- 55,427 18 11 Deposits on the above, and instalments from selections current from | former years ... ... ... ... ... J Agricultural leases on gold fields— 4,603 acres and 25 perches, leased to 41 selectors. Eents from these) 7^99 14 5 and from selections current from former years ... ... j '° Homestead — 8,525 acres, selected by 55 persons ... ... ... Nil. Pastoral rents — From 12,028,966 acres, held in 1,020 leases ... ... ... 182,880 3 4 Miscellaneous — Coal and mineral leases, royalties, timber licenses, &c. ... ... 5,500 0 0 £535,607 U 5 I—C. 1.