Appendix I.
REPORT OF THE LAND OFFICER FOR THE YEAR 1924.
1.-REGISTRATION.
There was a slight falling off in the amount of registration done as compared with the preceding year which was an abnormal one. During the year 1924 Six thousand (6,000) Deeds and Documents were registered under the provisions of Ordinance No. 1 of 1884 affecting Seven thousand one hundred and nineteen (7,119) lots of land. The total consideration on sales, mortgages, surrenders and miscellaneous documents amounted to $184,108,616.75, particulars of which are shown in Table I. The total number of documents registered in the Land Office under the provisions of the above-mentioned Ordinance to the end of 1924 was 95,114. The number of Deeds registered each year for the last ten years is shown in Table III.
2.-GRANTS OF LAND.
The total area of land granted on lease during the year was 418 acres 3 roods 8 poles, of which 410 acres 1 rood 36 poles was in respect of lands dealt with by the District Officers; the total area resumed was 294 acres 3 roods 14 poles; the excess of land granted over land resumed during the year was 123 acres 3 roods 34 poles (corrected to match original: 123 acres 3 roods 34 poles). This is exclusive of quarries and lands let for short terms under temporary permits issued by the Public Works Department. Particulars of grants are shown on page W1 of the Blue Book for 1924.
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3.-SURRENDERS.
The outstanding feature in the work of the Land Office this year was the great increase in the number of resumptions carried through; Five hundred and fourteen (514) lots or portions of lots, including several large farm lots, were surrendered to the Crown in connection with various public improvements, in respect of which sums amounting to Two million two hundred thousand dollars passed through the hands of the Land Officer by way of compensation. The large area of the land resumed will to a great extent be set off at a later date by the issue of leases for lands which the Crown has agreed to grant in exchange.
4.-GRANTS OF LEASES.
The number of Crown leases issued during the year was 90, particulars of which are specified in Table II. The number of Crown leases issued each year during the last ten years is shown in Table III, from which it will be seen that this year has fallen below many of its predecessors; this is due to pressure of work in other directions as shown in paragraph 8.