THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1101, 7 February 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1872.

We have frequently of late had occasion to call the attention of the public to the manner in which the Westland Waste Lands Board disposes of *he lands in the Grey District, to the detriment not only of the residents of the town and district, but also to the very serious injury of the County revenue. Another case in point has occurred which may be taken as a fair sample of late proceedings. On Monday last a large number of ten-acre blocks in the immediate vicinity of the town, were put up to auction at Hokitika, and with one exception they were sold at the upset price of £2 per acre. There were only one or two intending purchasers from Greyraouth present, as the expense of travelling to and from Hokitika would add materially to the price of any section of land, to Bay nothing of the los 6of time, absence from business, and inconvenience experienced. In the exceptional case to which we have referred, fcr the. possession of which competition took place, the section was run up to over double the upset price, which shows very plainly that if these sales were held in the district, as they ought to be, the majority of the lands disposed of at the upset price would have realised much higher prices. An auction sale of any commodity is simply a farce, unless it takes place where the most likely purchasers are to be found, and where the highest price is likely to be realised. Common sense ought therefore to teach the members of the Waste Lands Board that if they wish that^the whole of the people in the County should be equally dealt with, aud desire to see settlement promoted, and, what to them we suppose to be the great object, the revenue increased by a fair price being obtained for the land, these sales should take place in Greymouth. We know very well that the Act says that the Board should transact its business at Hokitika, but a single Gazette notice can authorise a sale to be held at any place, when sanctioned by the Governor. In the cases of the sale of sections at Stafford Town and Goldßborough, this provision was taken advantage of, and special proclamations were sought and obtained ; in fact, it is only a mere matter of form, because, whenever the Board decides that a meeting shall be held, we notice, that they announce it in the local journals before the Gazette notice is issued. We cau scarcely understand why this line of conduct Bhould be pursued, or, if persisted in, should be tolerated. It may be, at the present time, very convenient for the County Chairman, who is supposed to represent the Grey District at the Board, not to be called away, from his official occupation ; but surely it is equally his duty to see that justice is done to his constituents, that the County revenue should not be so seriously injured, and that lands are not sacrificed at a nominal price, which, if sold in the district in a place convenient of access to the majority of those most interested, would fetch enhanced prices. Some attention ought to be given to the matter before another sale takes place.