H.-3

1930. NEW ZEALA ND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1929-30.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Head Office, Stamp Duties Department, Wellington, Ist August, 1930. The Hon. the Minister of Stamp Duties, Wellington. I have the honour to submit the usual report on the working of the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Department for the year ended the 31st March, 1930. The returns appended show— A.—The business transacted under the Land Transfer Act. B. —The fees received thereunder, including the fees received on account of Grown grants. C.—The mortgages and discharges of mortgages, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on the 31st March, 1930. D. —The arrears existing at the various Land Transfer Offices at the close of business on the same date. . E. —The number of deeds received for registration and the number remaining unrecorded on the 31st March last, also the fees received in the Deeds Registration Offices. The work of bringing all land-titles under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act, as required by the Land Transfer (Compulsory Registration of Titles) Act, 1924, is still being proceeded with, and has been completed, or nearly completed, except in the districts of Auckland, Nelson, and Otago, and with the exception of a few titles in each district that it has been considered unwise to deal with at present owing to grave doubt as to ownership or for some other reason. A large amount still remains to be done in the districts mentioned. There were 11,734 more dealings registered than during the previous year, and registration fees amount to £5,250 more than for the previous year. The following table shows the amount of registration business under the Land Transfer and the Deeds Registration Acts transacted during the last five years : —

Fees under Compulsory Registration Act, 1924—Paid, £6,357 ; outstanding, £21,023 15s. 0. E. N ALDER, Registrar-General of Land, and Secretary for Land and Deeds.

Year ended 31st March, 1926. | 1927. I 1928. 1929. 1930. ' I I Instruments .. .. . . . 188,622 158,883 139,375 165,020 176,754 Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. 45,577 41,726 40,254 42,568 46,613 Fees, excluding fees under Compulsory £106,526 £97,990 £86,604 £85,232 £90,482 ' Registration Act, 1924.