8.—6.

XXVIII

Increase of Shipping. The total volume of shipping, inwards and outwards, of foreign-going shipping has decreased as regards the number of vessels, being 1,656 in 1883, 1,375 in 189:4, and 1,219 in 1902 ; but the tonnage has increased enormously. Between 1883 and 1892 it had increased 32-8 per cent., and between 1892 and 1902 60 - 6 per cent. The total volume of coastwise shipping shows a similar result as to tonnage, but the number of vessels also shows an increase, though not in the same proportion as the tonnage. These figures point to the tendency, both in the foreign-going and coastwise trade, towards the employment of vessels of larger carrying capacity. In 1883 there were 579 registered vessels ; in 1892, 491; and in 1902, 549; but there was an increase of tonnage between 1883 and 1892 of 19-1 per cent., and between 1892 and 1902 of 46 - l per cent. Cbown and Native Land and Crown Tenants. Twenty years ago the total Crown lands occupied and unoccupied amounted to 25,000,000 acres. This area has been increased by the purchase under the Land for Settlements Acts of 483,384 acres, at a cost of £2,252,690, and of 4,185,740 acres of Native land, at a further cost of £1,097,155. Exclusive of hilltops, pumice, and other lands more or less sterile, there are now available for immediate settlement 2,957,504 acres, or, including those for pastoral purposes, 4,290,463 acres. In addition to the Crown lands, there are some 6,000,000 acres owned by the Natives, a great portion of which is suitable for settlement. The number of Crown tenants is 18,813, and the annual rental amounts to £340,340. Pbivate Landowners. In 1883 there were 71,200 private landowners, in 1893 91,500, and in 1903 they had increased to 115,700. Capital Value of Land in New Zealand. £ £ 1883 ... ... ... ... 74,000,000 1886 ... ... ... ... 116,000,000 1889 ... ... ... ... 111,000,000 1893 ... ... ... ... 122,000,000 Increase in ten years ... ... ... 48,000,000 1898 ... ... ... ... 139,000,000 1903 ... ... ... ... 165,000,000 Increase in ten years ... ... ... 43,000,000 Increase in twenty years ... ... ... £91,000,000 Increase in Live-stock. There has been a most substantial development in flocks and herds, in face of the great requirements of the frozen-meat trade. To give an idea of this, the number of carcases of frozen sheep exported in 1892 at the different works was returned at 1,316,758, of lambs 290,996, and beef 55,020 cwt. ; and in 1902, 2,058,622 sheep, 1,852,055 lambs, and 286,699 cwt. of beef. The living sheep in New Zealand in 1882 numbered twelve millions and a half, against twenty millions and a qxiarter in 1902. The cattle were six hundred and ninety-eight thousand in the earlier year, and close on to one million and a half in the latter. The horses are nearly double what they were in 1882. Occupied Holdings. There were 27,352 of these, omitting holdings under one acre, in 1882, and in 1902 the number had risen to 65,034 holdings. Between 1882 and 1892 the increase was 15,416, and in the last decennium, 22,266. The land in sown grasses, under crop, or in fallow was returned in the latter part of the year 1902 at 13,357,700 acres, of which 4,558,346 acres were laid down in grasses after ploughing, and seven and a quarter millions of acres