DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1931 11 



Crown Lands 



The total quantity of land sold and leased throughout the year was 113,325 

 acres. This was largely acquired for settlement purposes, as may be observed 

 by a reference to Appendices Nos. 12 and 13. Over twenty per cent., however, 

 was covered by lease tenure only, under which an annual rental is charged. 



The total collections on all — including taxes upon certain lands in un- 

 organized districts, and water power rentals — amounted to $584,388.53, or over 

 $10,000 in excess of the previous year, a very gratifying evidence of the success 

 of a follow-up system of accounting and of a desire on the part of occupants 

 to acquire title and remain in good standing. 



Provincial Land Tax 



In widely scattered areas in the unorganized sections of the Province are 

 parcels, large and small, held by companies and individuals that up until the 

 Provincial Land Tax Act was passed a few years ago were not subject to any tax 

 whatever — not even school tax. Other parcels had been within a school section, 

 and were assessed only for school purposes. Notwithstanding the general benefit 

 that might accrue to the holders by provincial improvements in the way of 

 roads, fire protection, provincial police protection, etcetera, such class of holdings 

 were not paying any share of taxes to the Province. This Act now nets the 

 Province annually over $100,000, and while in the earliest stages of its operations 

 certain objections — not entirely unexpected — were urged against it, these have 

 been largely negatived by amendments to the Act providing for assured exemp- 

 tion of bona fide farmers and a reduced levy on those paying school taxes. 



Extensive tracts of land patented to Railway Companies and areas 

 comprising hundreds of Veteran claims have passed to corporations who are 

 commercializing the timber thereon, or the minerals or some other form of 

 natural resource, and the greater portion of the tax is derived from this source, 

 whereas twenty per cent, is applicable to summer resort holdings, and the 

 balance to parcels used for divers purposes. ' 



The revenue collected during the year was $131,851.20, as against $139,832.01 

 for the year 1930, which had been in excess of the 1929 collections by over 

 $12,000.00. 



Because of the stress of times and the difficulty all classes are meeting in 

 trying to pay taxes, and the general falling off of such revenue in most munici- 

 palities, it is not with great optimism that a larger return is looked for in the 

 coming year. There will, nevertheless, be no lessening in the official attempt 

 to collect an amount at least equal to that of the year just closed. 



Military Certificates 



There are a number of services, such as those affecting Common School, 

 Grammar School and Clergy Lands, which will shortly be recorded history, 

 each in itself being closed out. The disposition of Military Certificates is in a 

 similar class. These instruments came into being shortly after the South African 

 War ; the purpose was to make a grant from the King, as it were, to those who 

 rendered voluntary service in the Boer War. The Fenian Raid Veterans of 

 1866 considered they had deserved like treatment, and they were united to 

 the South African Veterans as eligible for certificates. These documents, litho- 

 graphed in variegated colours, gave each holder the privilege of securing 160 

 acres of land free. Under statutory amendments to the Act outstanding certifi- 



