B.—l [FT. IV], SUP. TO 1939.

CROWN LANDS ACCOUNT—continued. Balance-sheet as at 31st Maech, 1939 —continued. Liabilities —continued. £ s. d. Assets —continued. £ s. d. Brought forward .. .. 13,130,933 13 10 Brought forward .. .. .. 12,370,353 14 2 Sundry debtors— £ s. d. Rents .. .. .. 77,280 17 1 Royalties .. .. 1,140 8 6 Interest on sales .. 17,433 4 8 Interest on advances .. 68 18 7 Instalment— Principal: Improvements 5 5 0 Interest: Improvements 33 3 8 Realization Account .. 32,154 18 7 Misc e 11 aneous advances (Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account) .. 6 17 8 Rates on Waiapu Native blocks .. .. 3,785 18 11 Small-farms Scheme : Rents accrued .. .. 376 9 9 Buildings: Interest .. 989 16 11 Roading-costs .. .. 560 8 4 Departmental .. .. 811 2 3 Miscellaneous .. .. 1,404 12 6 Insurance .. .. 25 0 7 136,077 3 0 Interest under section 13, Land Laws Amendment Act, 1926 .. .. .. .. 290,876 6 1 Postponements of rent and interest— £ s. d. Under Land Act, 1924 .. 3,785 4 1 Under Mortgage Relief Acts 3,136 2 1 6,921 6 2 Interest on sales accrued but not due .. 6,634 7 3 Losses in Suspense .. .. .. 31,076 1 3 Profit and Loss Account: Orakei Block .. 190,829 4 4 Revenue : Loss for year carried forward .. 96,382 11 2 Cash — Receiver-General's Deposit £ s. d. Account .. .. 41 5 4 Local Bodies' Deposit Account of Receiver of Land Revenue .. .. 1,741 15 1 1,783 0 5 £13,130,933 13 10 £13,130,933 13 10 T. Pound, Assistant Under-Secretary of Lands. G. I. Beeson, Chief Accountant. I hereby certify that the Revenue Account and Balance-sheet have been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby, subject to the explanatory notes dealing with departmental accounts generally as appearing at commencement of parliamentary return 8.-l [Pt. IV]. The following comments are appended : (1) Expenditure under the New Plymouth Harbour Endowment Act, 1874, totalling £2,279 12s. 9d., which is now reflected in the Income and Expenditure Account of the Lands and Survey Department Account, should, in the opinion of the Audit Office, be included in the Revenue Account and shown as a charge against rents ; (2) the charges on land with respect to expenditure under section 47 of the Land for Settlements Act, 1925, or the corresponding provisions of any former Act have not been abolished, as required by section 17 (5) (b) of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1927 ; (3) in the opinion of the Audit Office the expenditure from the Public Works Fund on Native development areas proclaimed subject to section 522, Native Land Act, 1931, which is included in the asset " Undivided interests in land " should be reflected in the accounts of the Native land-development schemes controlled by the Native Department; (4) the provisions of section 537 (5) (a) of the Native Land Act, 1931, have not been complied with in respect of the asset " Sundry debtors for rates on Native blocks in Waiapu Consolidation Scheme, £3,785 18s. lid."- —Cyril G. Collins, Controllei and Auditor-General,

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