CO129-297 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [1-3] — Page 617

$14

614

6.

The number of Lots (excluding Section ) in existence in Victoria and Kowloon, at the end of 1883 were 1994 and at the end of 1899 were 4501.

7.

The Land Office fees for registration for the year 1883, a fair average year amounted to $4653; and for the year 1899 to $11,988, or nearly treble.

8.

Taking the private sales of land in 1883 the purchese moneys amounted to $3,200,000 and the stamp duties on Assign- ments to 6,404. In 1899 the purchase moneys amounted to $13,887,000 and the stamp duties on Arsignments to $69,337.

The greater increase of stamp revenue on Assignment in 1899 in proportion to purchase moneys than in 1883,ärises from the duties being, on my recommendation, in 1894, doubled to what they were in 1883 (or from 25 cents per $100 to 50 cents per £100 The present rate of increase in land sales, year by year, may be seen by compering the figures for the last 3 years

as follows: -

9.

Purchase moneys paid in 1897; 1898; and 1899 were res- pectively £4,235,000, $5,624,000 and 15,887,000 and stamp, duties on Assignments for the same Years were respectively $21,178; 628,121, art (69,357 shewing an excess of purchase moneys for the year 1899 over 1898, of 68,263,000 and of stamp revenue

on Assignments of $41,315.

10

The rate of increased work is also clearly shewn by

the Crown Rent Roll of the Colony, which is prepared in the Land Office every half-year, and, divided, into 8 year periods

from 1882 the figures are as follows:-

Total of Rent, Roll for 1882 (Christmas)

the first pre-

pared by me

$147,4534

for 1890

189,064

for 1898

238,642

The rate of increase for the first period is therefore

28 per cent, and for the second period 26 per cent over the

first