3

G.—9

Taking this (31/3/12) return, it will be found that 527,758 acres were alienated by way of lease or sale. In addition thereto, the Native Land Purchase Board has acquired 75,162 acres (by way of assembled owners' meetings under Part XVIII), and 17,733 acres have been purchased from individual Native owners, making a total of 620,653 acres for the year. Of that area; 437,672 acres were disposed of by private alienation as between the Native owners and the alienees, with the approval of the Maori Land Boards, comprised as follows : 278,654 acres by way of lease to 571 applicants, and 159,018 acres by way of sale to 1,300 applicants, making an average holding of 488 acres by way of lease and 122 acres by way of sale* In addition to the foregoing, the Crown Lands Department; during the two years under review, completed the purchase of interests in blocks which were under negotiation prior to the Native Land Act, 1909. The area thus acquired to 31st March last is shown as 33,025 acres, principally in the Moerangi and adjoining land, which is now before the Court to define by partition. Interests in the Urewera Reserve blocks, of an estimated area of 41,506 acres, have been acquired during the aforesaid term, making a total of 74,531 acres purchased by that Department. Summarizing the foregoing, it shows that an area of 1,001,996 acres has been alienated, of which 509,873 acres have actually passed from the hands of the Native owners by way of transfer of the feesimple. From the above it is obvious that, under the 1909 Act, alienation of Native land has made far heavier strides than in previous years. Parliamentary paper 8.-2 shows the expenditure in connection with the Department to be for the year 1910-11, £21,662 ; and for the year 1911-12, £21,128 : making a total of £42,794. The Department has received by way of revenue from stamps on applications and general fees the sum of £10,395 for 1911 and £11,208 for 1912, totalling £21,603, showing the receipts of this Department to be over one-half of the expenditure incurred. Included in the above expenditure is the cost of administration in connection with the purchase of Native land, as carried out by the Native Department. The charges as shown in the Native Land Settlement Account (6.-12) are all incurred by the Crown Lands Department in connection with the completion of old purchases. Thos. W. Fisher, Under-Secretary.

TABLE A.—NATIVE LAND COURTS. Return of Business and Fees for the Year ended 31st March, 1912. Native Land Court.

Number of sittings Number of cases notified .. .. .. Number of cases for which orders made Number of cases dismissed Number of cases adjourned sine die Number of partitions made Area affected Number of investigations of title Area affected Number of succession orders made Number of other orders made 75 .. 19,042 7,079 .. 3,839 .. 8,135 980 (acres) 431.166 53 (acres) 58,572 J .. 4,882 .. 1,341 Native Appellate Court. Number of sittings notified Number of cases notified Native Land Court decisions^varied Native Land Court decisions affirmed Native Land Court decision referred back to Native Land Court Native Land Court decisions annulled Appeals dismissed or withdrawn Appeals adjourned sine die Applications under section 208 ordered Applications under section 208 dismissed Applications under section 208 adjourned sine die .. 13 ..148 .. 13 .. 31 ..9 ..8 .. 50 .. 37 .. 22 ..8 .. 10 Court Fees. Amount collected by Court Amount collected by Registrar Amount outstanding Search fees collected .. .. .. Fees received in stamps £ s. d. .. 3,328 11 8 263 2 0 777 6 4 403 12 2 .. 1,854 0 6