c—l.

Table B.—Number of New Selectors, and Area taken up, from 1st April, 1905, to 31st March, 1906, and Total Amount of Revenue received during the Year — continued.

Note. —These figures are exclusive of Endowment, Native Township, and Rotorua Town Council lands. The reports of the several Commissioners of Crown Lands give the details of settlement in each land district, supplemented by the tables attached to the report. It is interesting to compare the number of settlers who have selected land for close settlement from ordinary Crown lands and lands for settlement, exclusive of pastoral runs and miscellaneous tenures, during the last six years :— Selectors. 1900-1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,767 1901-2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,632 1902-3 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,602 1903-4 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,053 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,581 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .'. .. .. 1,536 This gives a total of 10,171 persons (or, with their families, probably forty thousand souls) who have selected lands in six years, and who are adding to the wealth of New Zealand by the manly way in which they have faced the difficulties and trials inseparable from a settler's life, borne in most cases cheerfully and hopefully by man and wife in their strenuous endeavours to create a home for themselves and their children. The Crown tenants on the books of the Department have reached the very respectable number of 23,323 persons, probably numbering with their families some 92,000 souls, and holding a total area of 17,754,813 acres. The Progress of Settlement. Looking through the reports received from the several Commissioners of Crown Lands, one cannot help being struck with the hopeful and cheery tone prevailing throughout. I know that it may be urged that the reports are too optimistic ; but a glance at the summary of inspections by Crown Lands Rangers will amply sustain the contention of the Commissioners, and prove conclusively by the value of the improvements placed upon their holdings by settlers, above what the Land Act demands, that the settlers as a whole in each land district are a prosperous and contented community. Inspection by Rangers. As indicated in the preceding paragraph, the result of the inspections made by the several Crown Lands Rangers is eminently satisfactory.

3

Nature and Tenure of Lands selected. si goo Area. Average Holding. Cash received on Past and Current Transactions. Village settlement, cash „ deferred payment „ perpetual lease .. , occupation with right of purchase .. „ occupation with right of purchase marie freehold „ lease in perpetuity Village-homestead special settlement .. Special-settlement associations Improved-farm special settlements Occupation leases, Mining Districts Land Occupation Act Small grazing-runs Pastoral runs Thermal springs, Rotorua Miscellaneous leases and licenses Miscellaneous Cheviot Estate— Cash Lease in perpetuity Village-homestead special settlement Grazing-farms Pastoral runs Miscellaneous leases Miscellaneous Land for Settlements Acts — Cash .. Lease in perpstuity „ (village) Special-settlement associations (lease in perpetuity) .. Small grazing-runs Pastoral runs Miscellaneous leases Miscellaneous 39 A. E. P. 40 0 5 A. B. P. 10 4 g s. 6. 244 11 1 71 15 5 299 16 4 9 7 2 2 40 3 6 20 1 23 55 49 1,934 0 34 287 1 12 35 0 26 5 3 18 1,296 14 10 3,326 5 7 6,039 16 10 4,420 11 10 1,087 16 8 27,620 18 10 73,342 7 9 18 0 0 23,930 0 0 53,745 8 0 3 30 13 115 547 0 0 1,194 0 32 30,942 1 37 342,960 1 18 182 1 13 39 3 9 238 0 30 2,982 1 2 539 43,724 2 14 81 0 19 4 12 0 0 1 20 47 15 0 5,981 17 2 795 19 5 6,076 2 1 193 3 8 295 7 4 4 34 0 5 8 2 1 6 413 7 3 13 78,589 3 28 119 190 1 6 128 5 2 155,135 17 11 307 1 0 166 19 9 21,966 10 11 121 13 0 4,505 6 9 5,265 13 2 21 37,644 2 8 1,792 2 15 33 I 1,868 0 8 56"2 17 Totals 2,227 787,927 0 11 353 3 9 £520,337 11 3 •