THE LAND BILL.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 991, 29 August 1877, Page 3

THE LAND BILL.

[By Telegraph.] (Ccmchidtid.) ALIENATION OK RURAL LAND. The following are the rules and regulations contained in the appendix to the Bill, as to the alienation of rural land : CANTERBURY. All rural land open for sale to be of a uniform price 40s acre. When application is made for land tlie Chief Commissioner or person he may appoint shall prepare a form of aj(plication containing a description of the land and initial and note the precise time when the application was made. If there are two or more applicants for the same land, priority to be determined by lot. Applications for rural lands to have priority of having before any other applicants. Applications to be determined in the order in which they are [entered in the " application book." When two or more persons apply at same time to write their names in application book, their names shall be bracketed and initialed by the proper officer. Then the Board shall determine the priority by lot. The Board shall not hear any application unless it is made in accordance with the Act. Immediately on the payment of the whole purchase money the purchaser to receive license to occupy, and as soon after as convenient tlie land to be laid off by a surveyor. If lands be out - side of surveyed districts the purchaser to bear the expense of survey and he shall at the time deposit tins necessary amount with 11.*» Receiver of Laud R-e«Tum»'. If lbs section when surveyed should differ from Us at intended by the purchaser tht> Board will not be responsible, nor will the purchase money bo returned. If the surveyor find the whole of the land in the selected locality falls short of the quantity paid for by the purchaser the Receiver shall repay so much of the purchase money as exceeds tlie price of the land to be conveyed. License to occupy shall in any case be amended by the Board on the report of the surveyor. If the purchase land proves on survey to contain more than was paid for, the purchaser shall pay tlie Commissioner of Crown Lauds tlie diaerence, whether tlie

Crown grant has been prepared or not. If not the section may be rc-surveyed, the Crown grant corrected, and the purchaser shall pay the cost of such re-survey and any expenses incidental to the preparation of the Crown grant, OTAQO. All rural lands to he hereafter open for sale except such as arc leased or reserved for leasing or for occupation on deferred payments or included in any depasturing license. All lands hereafter constituted into a hundred not to be open for sale or lease until thirty days after the hundred is ° proclaimed; the Board to have discretionary power to alter the said period. The px'ice of rural lands offered for sale 20s per acre. In the event of no application for the said land being made on the same day the land to be put to auction at 20s upset price. Application to be made in writing in the form prescribed by the Board which shall decide upon every application within twenty-one days after receipt of it at the principal land ofiice. If land not previously surveyed the Board will decide not later than six months from the application. Upon payment of the purchase money the purchaser to receive an occupation license. Expense of survey to be borne by the purchaser, who shall deposit the amount necessary with the Receiver of Lands Revenue. If the quantity of land on the survey falls short of the quantity paid for the purchaser to be repaid the difference or if the land has been in excess of the area paid for then the purchaser makes repayment. The Board may, if it think fit, refuse to grant an application and return any moneys paid for land. In cases of simultaneous application land to be put up to auction. The Board to have discretionary power to sell timber land. AVhen an applicant fails to become a purchaser the cost of survey to be repaid to him. On the coming into operation of this Act all hundreds in Otago to be reconstituted with the same names, areas, and boundaries as before. New hundreds may be proclaimed, but pastoral lessees in such hundreds to be entitled to compensation for the determination of the lease, provided such compensation do not exceed 2s 6d per acre and only then in respect of fences erected and then standing on the land. The lessee may agree to give up the run or part of the run held under such lease on terms arranged by the Board if not repugnant to the Act. Pasturage on Crown lands in any hundred shall be enjoyed exclusively by the holder of a depasturing license, each license holder to be at liberty to depasture free one head of cattle or five sheep for every ten acres of unenclosed land owned by him. Within the boundaries within which the cattle may be depastured, holders of miners' rights may run two head of cattle free. Depasturing cattle is prohibited under a penalty of £2O. The Board and Inspector may take steps to eradicate scab and appoint boundaries within which diseased sheep may be depastured. In the election of wardens those occupying 20 acres and not exceeding 100 shall have one vote; an additional vote for every additional 100 acres. The president of the Board to have a casting vote at the meetings. One month after election jthe wardens may make regulations regarding depasturing, also bye-laws. Wardens may authorise transfers of licenses, assessment to be paid to Road Board or wardens where there are no Road Boards. Cattle not to be removed or shot without authority under a penalty of £2O; also £2O penalty for firing herbage. Rangers to be appointed. Licensee to make returns under a penalty not exceeding £SO. Where there are no wardens the Board may act. The Board to make regulations for the proclamation of hundreds. Pasturage to belong to the lessees till regulations are made. SOUTHLAND. An application book to be kept by the Board and applications determined in order of entry. Price of agricultural land 40s per acre ; pastoral 20s. Upon payment, occupation license to be granted. Surveys to be made at the cost of applicant, but should he not become purchaser the amount to be repaid. The Board may refuse applications. Existing hundreds to be re-constituted when this Act comes into operation. New hundreds may be proclaimed. Pasturage rights to be limited to occupier of land. Licenses to be yearly and issued by the Board and a list of licenses to be published. Wardens to regulate depasturage limiting the number of cattle to be depastured. If no regulations made by wardens the Board to make them. Wardens may authorise the transfer of licenses. Depasturing licenses to be issued on payment of a fee of 10s. Assessment on stock, 5s per head of great cattle; Is per head of small cattle. Distress for non-payment of assessment and license fees to be paid to wardens. Accounts to be kept by wardens. Penalty for unlawful occupation or depasturing a greater number of cattle than shall have been apportioned. MAKLBOROUaiI. The Board may alter or subdivide sections, but not between the time of advertising for sale and being offered. Land must be classed as rural or pasture land, and in determining which class their fitness or unfitness for tillage rather than their position shall be considered. The upset price rural not less 20s per acre ; pasture, not less than 5s as may be fixed by the Board. No land to be sold before survey. Applicants may survey land at their own expense, by the Surveyor-General, and if land withdrawn or other person become purchaser, the original applicant to be paid expenses incurred in the survey.