THE BLOCK SALES.

Evening Star, Issue 4107, 26 April 1876, Page 2

THE BLOCK SALES.

The principal business at the Waste Land Board’s meeting this morning was the consideration of the applications of Messrs Cargill and Anderson, Neill, and Shennan to purchase the land on their several runs thrown open for sale, and the application of Mr Larnach to, purchase the whole of the land. The members of the Board present were the Chief Commissioner (in the chair), Reid, Bastings, Butterworth, and Strode, and there was a numerous attendance of the public. The business was opened by the Chief Commissioner reading over the applications, after which, the Clerk (Mr M ‘Goun) read the following communication : Great dissatisfaction expressed in ibis district at proposed sale of land in large blocks on Beaumont and Cargill’s inns, and hope entertained That your Board will not sanotiun’it.

M. Fraer, Mayor of La vrencc. Mr Haggitt intimated that he appeared to support the applications, and Mr F. R. Chapman that he appeared to oppose on behalf of some intending applicants.

The Chief Commissioner: We will take up one application at the time. At Mr Haggitt’s request, it was decided to deal first with Mr Neill's application. The Chief Commissioner : There is a letter from Mr George Bell. I don’t know whether the Board wishes it read or not.

Mr Reid : I see the petitioner here; perhaps he would like to read it himself. The Chief Commissioner : It is not usual for the Board to receive it. If from a district the petition would be read; but not if from an individual.

Mr Chapman : There has been no time for districts to forward objections. Mr Haggitt submitted that there could bo no such thing as opposition to the applica tions, as no other applications had been lodged. The Chief Commissioner: The question before the Board is, does it wish this protest read or not ?

Mr Reid would like to hear it read, seeing the petitioner was present. There were some statements in it that he questioned—disputed in fact. He said they were utterly untrue, and would like them to come from the petitioner’s mouth. During the last week or ten days there had been so much said in the public prints that he began to doubt his own personality. La the petition it was stated Ton are this Week to ho asked to sanction the sale

of several toe blocks of-so-oallAa Mtotl land, on conditions of price vincial Executive and the leaseholders, forth® doclared purpose of relieving the ProvincialGovernmcn; from debt. , That was absolutely, untrue, and :he knew of no declaration of jmrpose. When gentlemen caraq and signed their naihes to statements of that kind, which were utterly false, he should like very much to hear them repeat those statements from their own mouths to the. Board. When he heard of this' petition brought forward on behalf of the people and to save tho country, he wanted to know who was this George Bell, so chamelionlike. He remembered of one who in the past could say nothing too black of him (Mr Reid) because he did not sanction or encourage the sale of land when it was gqutled at 10s an acre; He would liktTto heaYTiiuT if the Board had no objection; he had had no time to read the petition himself. Mr Bastings deprecated entering into political discussions. If-they were "to‘receive the protests of individuals there would be no knowing, where the functions of the Board began or ended. He apprehended the members of the Board would act upon their own judgments without reference to protests.

Mr strode thought it should be dealt with as an ordinary application, but there was nothing before the Board at present. The Chief Commissioner again pointed put that if the protest had come from a district, signed by a number cf settlers, it would bo read; but it was not usual to read the pro • test of an individual. *

The Board then decided not to read the protest of Mr Bell.

On the application of Mr Neill, as minuted being read, Mr Chapman stated that he appeared to oppose it on behalf of intending applicants at Roxburgh, who had telegraphed huh regular instructions. There had been a. public meeting there; but there had scarcely been time to do anything further in the matter. Chief Commissioner: We will hear Mr Haggitt first; then you will have a reply. . re hiarked that before doing that the Board should decide whether, in the event of only one application having been du!y lodged for the purchase of this land, the Board was prepared to consider objections that might be urged by individuals outside tho time within which to make applications. The Chief Commissioner: I think, we are bound to hear any one who likes. to come forward.

Chapman : It is obviously the intention ioiti a i 6 Lands Administration 1874, that such matters should he brought before the Board; and the Board -should listen to such applications. That the applications should be refused was one of the grounds he was instructed to take. Mr Haggitt suggested that the proper and reasonable course was to hear the application

Mr Strode : We should hear Mr Haggftt first, and then decide whether'anyone else should be heard. That is the first course. I fancy.

Mr Haggittj would take up Mr Neill’s application. The Board would see that that gentleman applied for 13,000 acres, more or less, of laud situated on the southeast part of 'his run, the boundaries of which were specified in his application, the plan being certified by Mr Nicholson, a surveyor m the Survey Office. Mr Neill' had paid the deposit required by law, and it had been received by the Receiver of Land Revenue. His application, therefore, > waa in proper form before the Board. It seemed to him (Mr Haggitt) that the only -question the Board had to consider was whether this land was open for sale at the time that this application was put in, and what he proposed Om first instance was to convince the Board that it was. Under section 16 of the Goldfields Act of 1866 it was provided i

When any gold mine or gold field shall bo- dig* covered and proclaimed upon any Crown Lunds, which ar the date of the passing of this Act, shall hi ve been held under license or lease for depasturnig purpose , it shall he lawiul for the Governor, at '-aa discretion, to cancel the license or lease under wkicu su •Uhiud shall have l>cen held In occupation a; regards (ho whole or any .part of the brads so nelu under such license or lease, or with the concurrence of the liceus'.-e or lessee to suspend such le tsc or license as regards the whole or any part of such lauds. *

Under the 16th section of that Act the Governor has the express power given him of cancelling any • license or lease for depasturing purposes without the consent of the runholder, although his consent is required to a suspension of it. It would .bo obvious to the Hoard that this was a tremendous power which could he "used very much to the detriment of the bolder of a depasturing lease if it was thought proper to exercise it. In this case the power had been exercised by proclamation which appeared in the Provincial ‘Gazette’ o! April 19 last, by which the Executive Government, holding the Governor’s delegation of his powers under the, 16th section of the Goldfields’ Act, have cancelled absolutely the lease ot the runholder over the 13,000 acres mentioned in tbe proclamation, and which were applied for in the application now before the Board. The effect of it was this; if these 13,000 acres were taken away absolutely his run was ruined ; those 13,000 acres would render his run of far less value to him than it was before, and it was peculiarly hard in tie case of Mr Neill, inasmuch as he paid a very high price for this run only a short time ago. They did nob dispute that the Governor has power to cancel any portion of the area of this run under the 16th section. The power had been exercised in all three cases. 'The

’question has been fought out in the Supreme Court, tho Court of appeal, and the Privy Council, and the power of the Governor, to make these cancellations had therefore been established by the highest Courts. The case he referred to was M ( Lean v. the Superintendent, where exactly similar applications to those contained in the ‘Gazetto’ of April 19 were questioned by the runholder. To that there could be no lloubt w atever of the power of tho Governor and of his delegates, the Superintendent auid Ins Executive, to cancel thb lease over any portion of the area of land within a goldfield. In the same Gazette which contained the cancellation of the licenses, appeared also a proclamation declaring, the land to., be open for application- “ on and after the date thereof.” That proclamation was dhted April .19. Now, if that proclamation was within the powers of the Superintendent and Provincial Executive, then he submitted to the Board that this land was properly open for application by the runholder. There could no doubt of that upon a refe reuce to the 49th section of the Act. Provided also that if a depasturing lease or license shall not at the date of the passing of this Act have been granted, or shall have been, or shall be cancelled over any Grown lauds within a goldfield, it t-hjil be lawiul tor the Governor from time to time, by proclamation, to declare such lauls or any part thereof for. ale or nnlmy liou, in sections of such size and ■form as he may determine, and any lauds so proclaimed may thereafter be sold at a like price, and subject to the like toms and conditions, or as near thereto as may be, os Crown lands of the same class not within a goldfield; and It shall not be to* withdraw lands fronv the operation of this Adt for the purposes aforesaid. And the Governor fray from time to time alter, amend, or revoke, ahy such proclamation.

So that under section 49 it was clear that, when the depasturing lease over this laud was cancelled, it became .competent for the Governor, through bis 1 delegates, to.publish a proclamation declaring the laud sver which the ‘ depasturiu'g h&sc bad'becn cancelled to bo open tor ! sale br selection in such manner or pltfoi 1 4s he or they

might think fit. This was done by the proclamation appearing in the ‘ Gazette* of April. After reading the proclamations and , descriptions of the land declared open, counsel went on to say that he submitted to the Board that, under the circumstances he had mentioned, and bearing in mind the case of M‘Lean v. Macandrew, the Board- could come to no other conclusion than that the land was open for sale, and that Mr Neill’s application was in proper form. Then came this consideration—that Mr Neill’s was the only application for the land made on that day j and this brought him to his contention that his friend, Mr Chapman 1 could not be heard in opposition to this application. Asa matter of fact, ho (Mr Hag. gitt) believed—and it could be easily verified by reference to some of the clerks in the office—that Mr Neill’s was the only application for this land on that day, therefore, he contended he was the only person who had ajright to he heard in this question. He admitted the Board had a right to deal

with the application as they thought fit, but if Mr Chapman had a right to bo heard everybody in the country had an equal right. He submitted the other applications could not be received, for the simple reason that the Act provided that if only one application were made on the same day no one could be heard against it. He, therefore, submitted that on a statement of the circumstances which however spoke for themselves, Mr Neill ought to be declared the purchaser unless there was some reason why the Board should refuse the application on public grounds. If the run was of such value that it would be detrimental to the interests of the Province to sell the land, the Board

would be justified in refusing ; but he could prove by the evidence of the Chief Surveyor that the character of the land was as described. The report|of the Chief Surveyor wan as follows The Chief Surveyor is requested to report respectin£ the several blocks of laud over which the pastoral leases bare been cancelled, as per xrniclamation herewith. Information is desired on the following points.—As to general chara ter and elevation ; means of access to market; whether any of the land is adapted for agricultural occupation; and if so to what extent? "What area of Crown .Lands suitable for agricultural occupation al any) as immediately adjacent ? And any other infoimnttion wh ch may appear likely to show the value of

the lands, such as proximity to population or to supplies of lignite or timber. It would be well to show on a plan the position and extent of the agricultural lands within the areas cancelled, and also the posit ion and area of the hush or lignite beds ou or adjacent thereto. D. Reid. 19th April, 1876. Surrey Office, Dunedin, April 22, 1876. Be Nature of Country Cancelled on Runs Nos. 170, 48.199. 569, and 247. Memo, for Provincial Secretary. Run No. 170.—The 13,000 acres cancelled on this run is a pioco of very rugged, scrubby country. It is bounded on the south by the Beaumont Bum, on the ■‘west by tbo Clutha River for fully six miles, miles, and extends back from the Clutha in a breadth varying from two and a-half to four miles. The country is intersected by several streams, and, ns they and the Clutha run in deep, rocky gorges, the country is very broken and difficult of access. It is only approachable by dray, along the mountain track, availed of, in former times, between Tuapeka and Teviot, when there were no made roads. This track will run off and on the back line of cancellation, and wilt keep open the access to the remaining 17,000 of leasehold m the run. The general elevation aikeve sea level of the part canoodled will bo from 2,000 to 1.600 feet, and of the part ou leasehold •from 1,20" io 3,000 fe t No pat t of this run can be considered agricultur 1 1 lancf, and in Its present ciroirnsttrnces the pastoral occupation can only ! e profitable ir> large areas. In the gorge of the Clutha there is a bnsh of small ex tent, which, for the present, is completely shut ;u by_rocky bluffs; but, in the event of the railway being extended inland from Lawrence, it would be

taken up the Clutha Gorge, and the bush would then become very valuable, from the tact of its being on the verge of the gn at treeless interior of Otago, This bush ought, therefore, to be reserved, as also a sufficient width alongside the river for road and railway purposes. ' _ Run No. 48.—The 3,000 acres cancelled on this run lies in the fork between the Lee Stream and South Rock Creek,»nd sttrrounds the homestead of th“ run. This area calls for no particular description, other than it is part of the undulating grassy country, stretching away from behind Mauugatiu to the heights of Waipori. The altitude of the cancollation above sea level is from 1,400 to 1,600 fe t. As indicative of the value of this country, it may he . mentioned that it lies alongside of the Lee Stream Hundred for four miles, which is similar country The Hundred has been surveyed and open for application for about two years, but the part adjacent to the area cancelled has not yet been selected. Run No. 199. -The 15,000 acres cancelled oh this run is high lying back country, which will bo under snow for a considerable time after every winter storm. The general elevation will be from 2,00') to , 3,000 feet above the sea level. A reference to the i map will show that this country is simply an extension of the back line of Cargill and Anderson s purchase, nearer to the summits of Pinecleugh and Lammerlaw, There is no agricultural laud in the block, and the only reservation requiring to be seen to, will be the proposed dam site for the miners at Teviot, should it happen to come within the limits •of the block.

Bun No. 369.—The 10,000 acres cancelled from this run lies north from Koxburgb, seven or eight miles by the Main Interior Bocul,, which runs •.through the block for nearly two miles. Between Uhe road and tic Clutha river there is of this block 1‘,500 acres of an altitude of 1,000 feet. 'On the west side of road 800 acres of shattered landslip country altitude 1,000 to 1.600 feet. The balance is moun* .. tain slope ... ... 7,700 acres, rising from 1.600 to 5,C00 feet ou the summit of Obelisk range. 10,000

With the exception of the 1,500 acres, about «£me-half of which is inferior agricultural land, sail tho rest is purely pastoral country. In rmarking off the boundaries of this block, cure has Tbeen taking not to impinge ou land which settlers J'ss'dent in the district may have been looking to, Or: the natural extension of their pro; ertics. 'i has ti i_e country around H'Longhliu's improvements is still left intact up to the winter B owline, asis ah\o all the road frontage on both siles, from M'Loughlin’s to the landslips. The linoof the block has been kept well away from the coal reserve at Coal Creek, reported on some time ago by Capt. Hutton, Begarding the settlers along the roaiil tic ween Coal Creek and Roxburgh, it may be mentioned that their back country is iu no way interfered with.

Kun No. 247. —The 23,000 acres cancelled on this run consists of 8,000 acres of hard, gravelly plain, and 15,000 acres of mountain country. Tiio plain is from 1,250 to 1,400 feet above sea level, ami the mountainous part rises from these levels up to the summit ridge, 3,150 to 3,350 feet. The block has a frontage to the Taieri Eiver of four and a haV miles, and extends back to the summit of Bong! Ridge, a distance of from six to seven miles. Thn is excellent pastoral country, but it. is too hard and dry for agriculture. Even if it wore suitable 'or agriculture, its position away from any market, and lying ma«y miles off the main road, would pi coin le profitable cultivation on any scale. The natural destiny of the Upper Taieri Plain and district, of which the biock forms a part, is pasiurage, and to this purpose-it will be devoted for generations to come.' -

James McXekr'iw, Chief Surveyor. Dcnald Eeid, Esq., Provincial be. iv! ary. If it could be said in view of that report that it was not country that would be well sold to the applicant, he could only say in times ■past the Board had acted in a very different manner. Rugged, scrubby country, fit only for pastoral purposes, was the only laud that should be dealt with in that manner. If the Board were about to decide that no lands were to be sold, it would be as well to let it be known at once, but if there was any ca. : ,e in which applicant® were to be allowed to buywithout competiti on, that, under consideration, was one. Ho would be sorry to think the Board would be frightened by leading articles in newspapers, and he trusted the Board would decide for itself in matters of that kind. The proclamation declared the land open for sale, and on that day the application was made although it was stated in the newspaper articles it was not made until after office hours. He was, however, in a position to state that he obtained a copy of the ‘Gazette* at 1.30 on the day of its publication, and any one who felt sufficiently interested in the matter might have done the same . It was true the Gazettes were sometimes not posted until Thursday morning, but that Gazette was not kept back from publication until the day of the application. The

only person who had information which the public had not was the innholder, who had notice it was intended to cancel his lease. A similar objection was made In Mr M‘Lean’s case. It was ouc of the points mo.si strongly urged in that case, but the Courts decided it was not a valid objection. From what lie had said the Board could arrive at uo other conclusion than that the land was purely pastoral country,“that it was open for sale at the time the application was put, in and that Mr Neill being the only applicant, he should be declared the purchaser. Mr Chapman said he appeared on behalf of Mr Mervyn and others ip the town and neighborhood of Roxburgh to oppose the granting of the application. There were various powers given to persons, not applicants for the land, to object on public grounds to granting such applications. He had instructions to apply for a postponement of the consideration of the application for four or six months in order that the fnatter might come fully before the public. Mr Strode reminded Mr Chapman that the Board had not decided to hear objections.

Mr Chapman submitted that the Board had power to decide to hear anyone. As it was a public question, anyone who opposed granting the application had a locus standi , and should be heard.

Mr Reid proposed that Mr Chapman should he heard on. behalf of those for whom he appeared. • It was decided that Mr Chapman should be heard.

Mr Chapman relied upon section 3 of the Act, and asked the Board to postpone their decision on the matter, in order that time might be given to the inhabitants of the district to show whether the ex parte report now before the Board was correct.

Mr Reid said it was a report of an officer of the Government and should not ho considered ex parte.

Mr Chapman considered all reports of that character ex parte , aud that opportunity should be given to show whether those statements were so confirmed as to justify withholding the land from sale. The postponement would give opportunity of showing whether it should be withdrawn or not. Although the proclamation was in literal compliance with the requirements of the 49th section of the Act, it was contrary to the spirit and evident intention of it. It never was contemplated when the Act was framed to throw open a run for sale in a block like that proposed to be sold, which was beyond the means of an ordinary purchaser to buy. The Board was invested with a judicial function in the matter, aud were quite independent of the Government, the statute only allowing one member of the Provincial Government to represent it. He therefore asked the Board to view the matter in animpartial light, and to deal with it as amatterofpublicpolicy. He would ask, on the ground alleged of xaiin to the run, which was the greater evilruin of a run, or shutting out the interests of the inhabitants of the several districts affected—of Roxburgh Mr Reid : Your remarks tend to confuse by mixing up so many runs.

Mr Chapman ; If you say it confuses you, I believe it.

Mr Haggitt said this was the only application.

Mr Chapman; It was do part of the question in which district the people dwelt—all Otago was one district in that respect and all the people dwelling in it were interested. Mr Reid complained that the remarks made tended to confuse him, but he thought Mr Keid’s remarks were calculated to confuse. He submitted that the land should be dealt with without considering the alleged prospect of ruin to the run. The runholder had consented to take his own risk.

Mr Haggitt objected, Mr Neill had not consented nor assented to the cancellation of the run.

Mr Chapman : The Board must deal with the question as a public matter, in which a greater evil than ruining a run might accrue. It was really a question of the greatest benefit to the greatest number. What should be done should be for the benefit of the inhabitants of the country. The very first principle ou which it was decided to trust a Board was that the best possible price should be obtained for the land, but it was perfectly obvious that, by the proclamation that the land was open for sale, by offering it in large blocks beyond the power of ordinary purchasers to buy, the best price for the land was quite out of the question. He was sorry that so little opportunity had been afforded him of looking closely into the question, for the more the Acts were examined into the greater the muddle of their provisions appeared to be. Had he had time, he would have arguments equally or more cogent against the granting of the application than those put forward; but the matter had only been put into his hands a few minutes before it was necessary for him to appear there. He represented the inhabi tants of large districts in which one, if not two, of the blocks were situated, and in the name of the people he protested against the Board’s agreeing to the application.

Mr Haggitt understood that the only objection to the application being granted was that it might be provecPfchat Mr M'Kerrow’s report as to the character of the land wtvs incorrect. On that point he submitted that the Board was the best judge, as they knew whether or not he was likely to report without being well acquainted with the district. If the Board had any doubt of the value of his evidence they had that of the Chief Surveyor and Chairman of the Board. But it was only necessary to look on the face of the map to convince themselves that the nature of the country.was such as Mr M'Kerrow described. If, however, further evidence were needed, Mr Neill was present, who was prepared to state that the country was even worse than described by Mr M‘Kerrow, It had been said that M r Neill had consented-to the cancellation of

the lease of his run ; but ho had not in any way.. His consent was not needed,for its cancellation, inasmuch as by the IMth section of the Goldfields Act, the Governor had power to cancel the 1 ’ase independently of his consent. Only in case of suspension of thelease was the runholder’a consent necessary. Delay had been asked for, but what would be the result of delaying the consideration of the question ? His lo;ise was cancelled; he had therefore no legal occupation of the run, and was liable to be turned off the country at once. His run is just at the foot of the snowline, and if it was taken away he had no area o:i which to depasture his sheep, so that during the delay asked for his sheep would be driven into snow. Nothing had been urged to induce the Board to depart from its usual custom in such matters —that where only one application was put in for the purchase of land on the same day, where the report of the Surveyor was favorable, the application should be granted. It had not been shown that the sale of the land was prejudicial to the public interests, which was the only ground on which it could be refused. In the provisions of the Act there was no restriction as to time for which applications were receivable, and under the provisions of the Act the application should be granted. Mr Reid moved—

That tlio application bo approved subject to the reservation of such roods os the Chief Surveyor may consider necessary. All bush lauds, and such lands (if any) us may on inquiry be found to con«

tain any metals or minerals, or which may he re* quiro'l for water races or sltidgo channels, or for public purposes, to be reserved from the sale.

He had listened carefully to the objections urged by Mr Chapman, much of what ticsaid, in his opinion, tending tu show that it was exceedingly desirable to effect the sale of the block in question. The time during which the matter was before the public did not alter the value of the land ; ami even if the intention was to give opportunity fur agitation, he did not consider it anything, nor would it affect the Board’s decision in the matter. It should be dealt with merely as a matter of public policy, and in such a way as to do the greatest good to the greatest number. Had the declared open for salo in small allotments, patches might be disposed of here and there of choice bits, and the remainder would have been left unused to the end of time, for if a little

piece were taken out who would buy the remainder ? The question was, was it against the public interests of the country ? Mr Bastings felt bound, on public grounds, to oppose the sale of that block of land, for which course he had many reasons quite sufficient for his own guidance. He entirely endorsed Mr M'Kerrow’s report with regard to that block being excessively nigged and totally unfit for settlement, but there were serious considerations connected with it. He was personally acquainted with that portion of the country, and had ridden thousands of times over almost every part of it. He, therefore, had no hesitation in saying that before many years, as that block of laud contained a great number of quartz reefs, it would be opened out and sustain a very large population, As Mr MTverrow said, it was rocky, but those rooks were largely composed of quartz. He might also state that many of the hills were similar in formation to the Blue Spur, which has flow

been worked to such profit for 10 or J2 years, Ou these grounds alone he should object to the sale. In his official capacity ho had once been a party to the sale of a large block on Mr Logan’s run, which since then had been found to ho teeming with quartz, and L4O or LSO an acre had been offered for land that was sold for Til. Ho sympathised with the Government having money to provide to fulfil the appropriations of a public body, but it was their duty to tide over the difficulty by some other process than offering large blocks of land for sale. So far as the runholders were concerned they had held their runs at rentals far below their value. Pastoral lands had been leased at a rental of L 170,000 per annum that would bring in L 250,000. It was therefore hotter to wait than to sacrifice the public domains in that manner. He thought something must be done with regard "to those runs. Ten years ago, if facilities had been given to encourage small settlements, where populations now existed of 500 they would have had 9,000 or 10,000 settled ; and instead of being able to ride eight or ten miles and meeting nobody nor seeing a house, the country would havcbcen thickly peopled. He felt it his duty to vote against the sale.

Mr Butterwovth was opposed to selling large blocks, and was opposed to the application being granted. Mr Strode was opposed to the sale of land in large blocks.

The Chief Commissioner asked if any of the Board wished to say anything, Mr Reid thought that in arriving at their decision, the Board should not be guided by what was written in the Press. He referred to statements that had been made that rendered it necessary he should say something in defence, as he appeared in a twofold capacity —as a member of the Board and as the representative of the Government. Charges had been made from time to time and reiterated that there were a great number of sections offered for sale in townships which had been purposely delayed, hut in reality there had been no sale of townships for eighteen months. Again, _ it had been put • forward that a special price was put on this laud, aud that by the sale the Executive was sacrificing

the interests of the country. He thought, however, lie might say there was not another Province in New Zealand in which so great care had been taken in the disposal of its wastelands to encourage burnt fide settlement and to carry out public works. But it was plain that those could not bo continued on receiving instalments under deferred payments of 2s fid an acre. The Provincial (Government had undertaken great responsibilities, and in their endeavors to meet them by selling large blocks were met with cries that they were sacrificing the patrimony of the people and so forth, which went down with those who did not know the other side of the matter. He had agreed that those runs should l)e opened for sale, not with the idea that they are favorable to settlement. They were opposed by persons from two or three motives. First, because of opposition to Provincial Governments. These were few but noisy. Then there were opponents who wished to see the Executive forced into extremity to sell agricultural lands. They were not so noisy, but they

were more astute. Andjthere were those who had not time to inform themselves on the matter, and were taken by surprise, and concluded that the sale of large blocks was objectionable. He considered nothing could be more legitimate than the sale of pastoral lands, and if the Board refused to sanction the sale of those lands, it would not be doing that which was for the interest of the country. The Board could not induce the Superintendent to withdraw the proclamation, and therefore the land would still be open for sale, although the application was refused. By taking upon themselves to refuse the application, they had assumed a very grave responsibility. By the votes of ast session of the Council, it was decided that several large public works should bo carried on, which employed a great number of men, and he feared thatfby refusings those applications, it would tend to throwing great numbers of men out of employment. He was in a position to say that unless the Provincial Government were enabled to prosecute them great distress would ensue, as even at this early period of the winter there were indications that work was becoming scarce. Mr Held further argued that it was better to sell large blocks of land than agricultural areas, as agricultural land was becoming sra -cc, and when the 100,000 acres in the market was disposed of, there would only be about 100,000 more available for sale; and, further, it was impossible to carry out public works on deferred payments, fie concluded by moving that the application be granted. The question was then put, and' Mr Reid only supported the application. Mr Haggittsaid the remaining applications were! and on similar grounds, and" ho did not think it necessary to proceed with them. The applications were refused.