c—l.

NELSON. Summary of Land Transactions during the Year 1901-2.

During the past year 16,527 acres under the optional system of the Land Act and 6,950 acres under lease in perpetuity were thrown open for selection. The total number of selectors of all classes during the year was 229, and the area selected 40,033 acres 3 roods 6 perches. Optional System. —During the year 135 selections were made, distributed amongst the different tenures as follows: Cash, fifty-two, 5,282 acres 1 rood 39 perches; occupation with right of purchase, forty-six, 11,801 acres 3 roods 30 perches; and lease in perpetuity, thirty-seven, 11,956 acres 1 rood. The holdings at the present time "under the two last-mentioned tenures number 192, with 37,862 acres and 28 perches, and 166, with 47,516 acres 1 rood 10 perches, respectively. Deferred Payments. —Fifty-one lessees, holding 5,702 acres and 12 perches, have acquired the freehold, during the year, leaving 312 tenants, holding 33,090 acres 2 roods 10 perches, still on the books. Perpetual Leases. —No freeholds were acquired during the year, twenty-seven leases, with 6,268 acres 2 roods 27 perches, being still held. Mining Districts Land Occupation Act. —-The holdings under this tenure have hitherto been restricted' to the Buller Coalfields Eeserve, but since the Midland Bail way reservation has been removed applications are coming in from different parts of the West Coast and other mining districts. During the year fifteen selections, of 479 acres, have been made, bringing up the number of holdings to sixty, comprising 1,461 acres 3 roods 29 perches. Village Settlement, Mokihinui. —This settlement is a portion of the Westport Harbour Board's endowment. There are twenty holders of sections, averaging about 5 acres. The value of improvements on the land is £1,226, over £12 an acre. Several of the settlers, who are chiefly coal-miners, have had to leave their holdings in search of work through the closing-down of the New Cardiff Coal-mine; but now that this mine is being reopened by the Government, no doubt many of these will return. Pastoral Licenses. —Only two small runs, 1,060 acres, of rough hilltops, were taken up during the year ; and seven licenses, area 8,608 acres, have been transferred to Westland. The present holdings now number seventy-three, covering 313,960 acres. Miscellaneous Leases and Licenses. —These number 468, 210 of which are Westport and Nelson Harbour Board endowment lands. The revenue of the latter, including royalty on coal, amounted to over £12,000 for the past year.

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System. Trai suctions during the Year. Area under Lease at 31st March, 1902. Revenue received durini Number. Area. Number. Area. the ear. Cash Deferred payment ... Deferred payment made freehold Perpetual leases Occupation with right of purchase Lease in perpetuity Mining districts land occupation Small, grazing-runs Pastoral runs Miscellaneous leases and licenses Other sources 52 A. E. P. J 5,282 1 39 5,702 0 12 j 312 A. B. P. 33,090 2 10 £ s. d. 2,250 19 8 2,270 18 5 "51 46 ... 11,801 3 30 27 192 6,268 2 27 37,862 0 28 108 13 3 548 19 1 37 8 11,956 1 0 342 0 11 166 8 47,516 1 10 342 0 11 593 0 9 34 3 3 "2 77 1,060 0 0 9,454 0 17 1 73 258 1,088 0 0 313,960 0 0 27,788 0 35 8 0 0 673 12 0 2,189 11 7 374 16 1 Total ' ... 273 45,598 3 29 1,037 467,916 0 1 9,052 14 1 Endowments. Village - homestead special settlement Mining district land occupation Miscellaneous leases Eoyalty on coal and timber... Other sources 7 136 3 29 20 52 100 1,119 3 7 3 18 17 12 6 40 17 9 210 5,457 1 19 2,200 15 6 9,731. 7 10 60 9 4 Total 136 3 29 282 6,678 0 4 12,051 2 11 Grand totals 280 45,735 3 18 1,319 474,594 0 5 21,103 17 0