Appendix I.
REPORT OF THE LAND OFFICER FOR THE YEAR 1925.
1.-REGISTRATION.
There was a decrease in the number of Deeds registered in the Land Office during the year 1925 as compared with the two preceding years, which was due to the continued depression in the property market and to the abnormal conditions which existed in the Colony during the last six months of the year. Towards the end of the year there was a slight recovery and the total amount of registration done during the year eventually reached a point which was normal in the years before the boom in house property. During the year 1925 four thousand two hundred and twenty-six (4,226) Deeds and Documents were registered under the provisions of Ordinance No. 1 of 1844, affecting five thousand four hundred and sixty-three (5,463) lots of land. The total consideration on sales, mortgages, surrenders, and miscellaneous documents amounted to $114,166,092.84, 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 1925 was 99,340. The number of Deeds registered each year during 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 809 Acres 0 Rood 18 poles, of which 618 Acres 0 Rood 32 poles were dealt with by the District Officers; the total area resumed was 478 Acres 1 Rood 22 poles; the excess of land granted over land resumed during the year was 330 Acres 2 Roods 36 poles (corrected to 330 Acres 3 Roods 28 poles is not made as original text stated 36). 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 p. W1 of the Blue Book for the year 1925.
3. SURRENDERS.
One hundred and fifty-six deeds whereby one hundred and eighty lots were surrendered to the Crown were prepared and registered in the Land Office, the majority of these related to lots which were required for public improvements, including practically the whole of the village of Wongneichong, which has now disappeared. In many cases, new lots have been granted in exchange for the lots which have been surrendered. Sums amounting to over one million dollars have passed through the hands of the Land Officer and been paid as compensation.