H.—3.

1933. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1932-33.

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

Head Office, Stamp Duties Department, Wellington, 31st March, 1933. The Hon. the Minister of Stamp Duties, Wellington. I have the honour to submit the following report on the working of the Land Transfer and Deeds Registration Department for the year ended the 31st March, 1933. 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 Crown grants. C.—The mortgages and discharges of mortgages, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on the 31st March, 1933. 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. Business transacted. —Registration business suffered a further drop during the year. Compulsory Registration. —The w T ork of bringing under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act titles not previously subject to those provisions is progressing steadily in the Auckland, Nelson, and Otago Land Registration Districts, which are the only districts in which this work remains uncompleted. The work in the Nelson District is practically finished, and it is anticipated that the time required to complete it in the remaining two districts will be approximately four years. Reconstruction of Hawke's Bay Register. —The reconstruction of the Hawke's Bay Register is progressing satisfactorily, and every effort is being made to completely restore this registry at the earliest possible date. During the year more suitable permanent accommodation was secured in the post-office, to which the office was transferred from the Public Trust Building, where it was previously located. It is considered that certain amendments to the Land Transfer (Hawke's Bay) Act, 1931, would facilitate the work of reconstruction, and steps are being taken to have the necessary legislation passed. A probable period of five years will elapse before the registry is approximately reconstructed, after which the statute will operate in an ever-lessening degree. 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 for year ended 31st March, 1933 ; £3,994 ; outstanding, £29,465. J. Murray. Secretary for Lands and Deeds.

Year ended 31st March, 1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. Instruments .. .. .. .. 165,020 176,754 1-44,436 98,267 81,905 Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. 42,568 46,613 41,240 27,727 25,471 Fees, excluding fees under Compulsory £85,232 £90,482 £71,230 £44,945 £33,700 Registration Act, 1924