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1935. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND TRANSFER AND DEEDS REGISTRATION. ANNUAL REPORT OF DEPARTMENT, 1934-35.

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

Head Office, Stamp Duties Office, Wellington, 31st March, 1935. 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, 1935. 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 discharge of mortgages, and the amount remaining secured by mortgage under the said Act on the 31st March, 1935. 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 has shown a substantial increase in the number of instruments registered and the amount of fees received during the year. Compulsory Registration.—The work of bringing under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act titles not previously subject to those provisions has been completed in all registries excepting those of the Auckland and the Otago Land Registration Districts. In both these districts steady progressis being made, and it is anticipated that in a period of from two to three years this work will be completed and the system of registration under the Deeds Registration Act, 1908, finally abolished. Reconstruction of the Hawhe's Bay Register.—The reconstruction of the Hawke's Bay Register, which was destroyed in the fire following upon the earthquake in February, 1931, is proceeding steadily. Good progress has been made in examining, checking, indexing, and collating generally the information available. Considerable delay to the work, with the prospects of resultant loss to property-owners, is caused by the failure of property-owners to move in the matter of reconstructing their titles and through their neglect to answer repeated inquiries by the Registrar. More co-operation in this direction would facilitate the work and enable it to be brought to an earlier conclusion. 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, 1935 ; £3,716 ; outstanding, £31,310. J. Murray, Secretary for Lands and Deeds.

Year ended 31st March, 1931. 1932. | 1933. 1934. j 1935. J I : : • I Instruments .. .. •• 144,436 98,267 81,905 76,355 83,117 Searches (Land Transfer Act only) .. 41,240 27,727 25,471 24,170 28,268 Fees, excluding fees under Compulsory £71,230 £44,945 £36,700 £35,240 £40,962 Registration Act, 1924