B.— 6

XVIII

STAMP DEPARTMENT. For the first time in the history of the Stamp Department, which has been in existence since 1867, the revenue for the financial year has exceeded one million pounds sterling. The revenue of the Department, which was formerly shown in conjunction with the Post and Telegraph revenue, has during the last three years been shown separately, the gross receipts being as follows :— 1910-11 .. .. .. 872,862 1911-12 .. . . .. 952,999 1912-13 .. .. .. 1,062,487 LAND AND INCOME TAX. The net receipts for the past year in this Department were— Land-tax .. .. .. .. .. 728,636 Income-tax .. .. .. . . ■• 462,994 Total .. .. .. . . .. £1,191,630 The estimate was — £ Land-tax .. .. .. .. 650,000 Income-tax . . . . .. .. 450,000 1,100,000 The estimate was therefore exceeded by .. . . £91,630 Land-tax. The land-tax receipts for the financial year 1912-13 as compared with the year 1911-12 are— £ Receipts, 1912-13.. .. . . .. .. 728,636 1911-12.. .. .. .. .. 647,016 An increase of .. .. .. £81,620 The following figures show the increases in the net assessed taxable value of land and mortgages, the yield of land-tax, and the number of taxpayers, in the last four years : — v Taxable Value. Tax. Number o Year ' £ £ Taxpayers. 1908-9 .. .. 106,198,550 604,900 30,855 1912-13 .. .. 130,675,949 728,636 38,232 Increases .. £24,477,399 £123,736 7,377 As it has been freely stated that the subdivision of the large estates of the Dominion is not being sufficiently accelerated, I may here refer to the alteration which has taken place in recent years in the areas held by certain landowners. A reference to Table No. 3, published under 8.-17 A, 1911, will show that on the 31st March, 1910, there were 171 owners of freehold lands in the Dominion whose individual holdings reached 10,000 acres or more. The aggregate area held by these 171 owners was at that date 3,509,471 acres. An examination of the assessments of these same owners on the 31st March, 1912, or two years after the date of the return, showed that no less an area than 811,202 acres had been disposed of during that period. For the year ended 31st March, 1913, details of all subdivisions which have taken place are not yet to hand, but from present indications I think I am warranted in saying that the process of subdivision has of late been considerably accelerated.