C.—l.

Table A. Number of New Selectors and Area taken up from 1st April, 1899, to 31st March, 1900, and Total Amount of Money received during the Year.

The various tenures shown in the above table illustrate the different and numerous systems in force under the Land Acts, but the same figures may be simplified for the purpose of comparison, and in order to a comprehensive view of the whole. Thus : All classes of dealings are shown in Table B below, excepting endowments, miscellaneous, and temporary leases, particulars of which will be found in the Appendices.

Table B, being a Summary of Table A, under a few Headings.

A glance at the figures above will show that the total selections or purchases for the past period are 199 less than for the year 1899, though the area taken up is larger, due to the greater number of pastoral leases dealt with. This variation of the totals is, however, nothing abnormal, and is characteristic of the land returns for many years past. The lease-in-perpetuity tenure still takes the leading position as to number of selectors, which is owing to the fact that this system was obligatory in many cases. Where, however, the choice of tenure is left to the selector, which always occurs when lands are thrown open for so-called free selection, it will be seen that the occupation with right of purchase, which allows the tenant to obtain the freehold, is more favoured than the other system. This has been the case for the last few years. The following figures illustrate this:—

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Nature and Tenure of Lands selected. Number of Purchasers or Selectors. Area. Cash received on Past and Current Transactions. Town lands sold for cash Suburban lands sold for cash Rural lands sold for cash 261 66 147 A. B. P. 132 1 21 290 2 35 23,499 1 1 £ s. d. 20,632 18 5 Deferred payments.. Perpetual lease (cash includes money from perpetual leases made freeholds) Occupation with right of purchase Lease in perpetuity Agricultural lease Village settlement, cash „ deferred payment , perpetual lease (cash includes money from perpetual lease made freehold) „ occupation with right of purchase .. „ lease in perpetuity Village-homestead special settlement ... Special-settlement associations Improved-farm special settlement(lease in perpetuity and occupation with right of purchase) Occupation leases, Mining Act Small grazing-runs "2 395 348 3 6 3 69 6 1 41 64 57 624 0 0 117,771 0 28 111,108 2 38 69 3 24 4 1 12 12 0 1,747 2 7 30 2 21 2 0 3 7,392 3 10 2,294 3 11 142,699 0 17 16,329 12 5 71,382 0 7 17,624 18 10 23,185 9 10 55 10 8 49 10 0 357 15 11 826 16 11 40 8 3 1,373 5 4 2,114 13 6 6,881 10 6 2,562 3 0 243 5 5 24,185 11 1 72,913 5 9 1,075 12 11 23,701 6 11 Pastoral runs Thermal springs, Eotorua Miscellaneous leases and licenses 140 3i8 1,019,831 3 4 88,747 0 33 Cheviot Estate— Cash lands Lease in perpetuity Village-homestead special settlement (lease in perpetuity) Grazing-farms Pastoral runs_ Miscellaneous Land for Settlements Acts— Lease in perpatuity village Special-settlement associations (lease in perpetuity) .. Small grazing-runs Miscellaneous Totals 17 1 10 298 11 "7 39 13 3 39 6 2 0 23 1 33 42,415 2 22 14 0 26 12,410 0 36 2,691 1 25 374 4 2 6,613 9 5 838 14 5 6,485 18 11 263 10 8 246 17 10 42,380 6 3 336 13 5 172 13 2 2,838 3 11 626 17 7 2,310 1,573,823 1 6 £346,713 6 0

1898. 1899. 1900. Number. Area. Number. Area. Number. Area. Gash Deferred payment Perpetual lease Occupation with right of purchase Lease in perpetuity Pastoral and grazing runs Occupation and agricutural leases—Mining Acts 274 2 382 782 209 28 Acres. 22,526 651 81,416 128,855 2,139,872 1,542 555 1 1 461 891 267 33 Acres. 37,427 13 640 109,951 167,178 837,786 1,562 497 2 398 775 204 67 Acres. 23,940 624 117,773 162,718 1,174,941 2,365 Forfeitures and surrenders .. 1,677 704 2,374,862 779,271 2,209 586 1,154,557 499,152 1,943 519 1,482,361 166,304 - 973 1,595,591 1,623 655,405 1,424 1,316,057