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ANNUAL REPORT.

The Undee-Secbetaby for Lands to the Hon. the Minister op Lands. Sib, — Department of Lands, Wellington, Ist June, 1907. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report upon the operations of the Lands Department for the past year, embracing not only the areas opened for selection and the areas taken up by new selectors, but also touching briefly upon the various branch or cognate matters which have come under its supervision, or which have been intrusted to it to carry out. I have, &c, William C. Kensington, The Hon. Robert McNab, Minister of Lands. Under-Secretary for Lands. Land opened fob Selection, 1906-7. The total area under all classes of land-tenure opened during the past year amounted to 640,262 acres, or 871 acres less than last year, and the subjoined table shows the districts in which the land was opened and the several tenures dealt with :—

Table A.—Lands opened for Sale and Selection during the Year ended 31st March, 1907.

The area opened is divided into 287,853 acres in the North Island, and 352,409 acres in the South Island, the area in the South Island (except in the Nelson Land District) being chiefly pastoral runs. Here it may be interesting to place before you the position of New Zealand this year -with regard to Crown lands. In last year's report a total area of 3,489,100 acres was shown as still available for settlement, and the present position is as follows : — Acres. Available for settlement in last year's return .. .. .. 3,489,100 Deduct land selected .. .. .. .. .. .. 958,652 Leaving a balance of .. .. .. .. 2,530,448 Area being prepared for selection .. .. .. .. .. 1,141,191 Making a total of .. .. .. . . .. 3,671,639 Deduct area of pastoral runs open for selection .. .. .. 1,382,917 Being a balance of .. .. .. .. .. 2,288,722 At first sight the position is not reassuring, but if to the above balance of 2,288,722 acres is added the area of Native lands now being purchased under " The Maori Land Settlement Act, 1905," by the four land-purchase officers (under the supervision of the Under-Secretary for Lands, but subject to the approval of the Hon. J. Carroll, Native Minister), which totals for the whole North Island something over 321,744 acres, it will leave an available balance of 2,610,466 acres. Thus :— . Balance as above .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,288,722 Add Native lands being purchased or under negotiation .. .. 321,744 Leaving a balance available of ~ .. .. 2,610,466

I—C 1,

District. Optional System. Cash by Auction. Lease by Auction and Application. mentl. BuBS - I S.G. Small Buns, Grazing- Land for runs. Settlements. Lease in Perpetuity only. Lease in Perpetuity, Land for Settlements. Native Towns. Totals. Auckland Hawke's Bay .. Taranaki Wellington Nelson Marlborough .. Westland Canterbury .. Otago Southland Acres. 87,888 3,783 42,440 2,014 18,359 2,646 Acres. 754 21 74 63 190 Acres. 243 55 78 400 Acres. *785 Acres. 25j 326 Acres. 2,582 Acres. 38,122 Acres. 5,696 4 j 979 Acres. 30,609 12,569 1,918 16,406 Acres. 42 Acres. 165,894 42,581 49,489 29,889 48,038 3,104 8,259 26,238 114,483 152,287 "73 48 2^834 8^097 29^441 2 458 29 175 88 2^307 11,000 60,485 136,134 12I268 20,009 8^259 631 25,356 626 2,168 2,569 3 5, 871 419 8,000 4 j 845 "25 Totals .. 161,867 1,394 8,386 934 235,779 34,859 52,090 56,794 88,115 44 640,262