15

C.—l

Lands disposed of.— The sales under the cash system were limited to 5,572 acres, the greater portion of which formed part of the Cheviot Estate, the balance being made up of special sales. The area selected under the lease-in-perpetuity system amounted to 14,438 -acres, situated chiefly at Lake Ellesmere. Only 403 acres were taken up under the occupation-with-right-of-purchase system. The area disposed of under the village-homestead system amounted to 3,570 acres, less than one-third of the lands being at Cheviot, the other chief settlements being Buapuna, Westerfield, and Clearwell. Only two small grazing-runs were let; but 17,605 acres, comprising twelve small grazing-farms on Cheviot, were disposed of. Under the Land for Settlements Act one lot in the Kapua Block was leased, being the only section in this district available for selection under this system. The number of holdings on all systems taken up during the year comprise 337 in all. The comparatively small area disposed of was due to the fact that the area offered was limited, and the quality of the lands not of the best. Bevenue.— The receipts from all sources during the year amounted to £97,653. The instalments of pastoral rents came in promptly, save in five cases, but the arrears under this head have now been reduced to £80 (exclusive of the Haldon Bun), out of a total of over £40,000. The rents under the lease in perpetuity, perpetual lease, deferred payments, and other systems, showed, generally, a large accumulation of arrears, but by persistent and systematic attention to each individual case, we have succeeded in reducing the amount to a more moderate sum. The following statement shows the position of the Canterbury Crown tenants at the dates specified in regard to payment of rents : —

Table No. 1.—Canterbury District.

Owing to the continued intense depression and the exceptionally low prices ruling for stock and produce, the Land Board were reluctant to enforce payments in numerous instances, but it was deemed absolutely necessary that the tenants should keep faith in order that there should be no derangement of the revenue, and that the selectors might not drift into a hopeless position as regards arrears of rent. The Board had recourse to forfeiture in a considerable number of cases in which the lessees neglected to reply to the several notices issued to them from the Land Office and also m many cases in which there appeared to be no good grounds for further grace being allowed. . ° c The Laud Board is about to inquire into the circumstances of several of the small grazingrun tenants who have petitioned for abatement of their rents or other relief on the plea that such are excessive m view of the fall in the value of sheep and merino wool, and the increased expenditure involved in rabbiting their holdings. The result of the Board's investigations shall be duly reported to you. Settlement Conditions.—The Bangers, Messrs. Ward and O'Callaghan, for North and South Canterbury respectively, furnished reports on some of the holdings in their districts ; these have been summarised with the following result: —

Arrei irs. trfoitures. System. **H . O co , 'H ft O © 4i B 00 Half-year's Eent. O EO go Amount due rQ o at 31st March, : 1895. «4H O to © ° At o p © O cci o S a J a © Amount duo at 21st May, 1895. Amount. Pastoral runs Small grazing-runs Deferred payment, " Ordinary " Deferred payment, " Village " Perpetual lease Perpetual lease, village settlement .. Perpetual lease, village - homestead special settlement Lease in perpetuity Lease in perpetuity, village-homestead special settlement Occupation with right of purchase .. Miscellaneous leases 124 42 51 42 155 117 177 £ s. d. 19,082 12 3 2,760 1 6 840 19 1 69 1 7 1,171 3 6 443 16 10 307 5 1 5 24 8 10 20 66 45 £ s. d. 263 8 4 1,765 18 1 54 10 11 24 0 1 118 15 1 830 11 5 172 16 3 2 1 1 5 5 25 20 £ s. d. 40 0 0 53 0 0 21 12 0 8 16 5 49 1 9 303 4 8 75 0 6 2 1 3 32 2 £ s. a. 230 16 4* 3 0 6 16 19 2 490 10 11 4 11 3 175 104 2,318 0 5 231 0 0 18 8 315 12 7 13 2 0 9 1 294 8 2 0 14 0 i 2 12 11 17 197 43 17 2 706 1 10 2 11 2 18 0 45 3 9 25 94 is 10f 1 4 0 8 0 20 16 8 Cheviot Estate. Q-razing-larms Lease in perpetuity Lease in perpetuity, village-homestead Miscellaneous leases 1,201 29 103 86 57 28,033 19 3 3,051 0 0 3,066 2 6 423 0 0 244 9 4 217 10 9 11 2 3,606 16 6 1,002 6 5 290 6 5 48 7 8 4 15 0 5 1 4 2 94 940 11 4 514 11 6 105 8 3 22 15 0 3 11 8 46 769 15 912 17 7 3 0 0 i 1 27-51 6,784 11 10 32 1,345 15 6 12 676 6 5 I 15 17 7 * Since forfeiture, J. Welsh paid £109 18i i. id. t Arrears increased by non-payment of rents due, 1st April,1895.