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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 106, 13 April 1863, Page 2

Report of committee upon Land Regulations : The committee having considered the subject on which they were instructed to report, now bog to report as follows : In reference to the first section of the motion on which your committee is ordered to report, viz., the advisability of setting apart some portion of the provincial estate as security for the public creditor under the provisions of the Loan Act 1 of this session,— The committee recommend that those portions of the blocks of land known as the Ahuriri, Moeangiangi and Arapawanui, Waikare and Mohaka, which are defined on the sketch map hereunto attached and estimated to contain in all about acres, he set apart and reserved from sale for the purpose above mentioned. Your committee are aware that the greater portion of the blocks of land specified are already occupied under occupation licenses granted by the Crown. They however, believe that the holders may be induced to exchange these licenses, in consideration of the terms hereinafter provided, which the committee beg to recommend, viz.,—that the lands comprising the blocks before mentioned should be leased to the present occupants for a fixed period of 14 years ; that the conditions of such lease should be the payment for the first 7 years of a rental of one penny per acre per annum and of two pence per acre for the remaining 7 years of the lease ; that, with a view to induce the occupants to improve the lands so leased by them a pre-emptive right should be guaranteed to them over such portions of the land so leased as may be improved (such improvement to be defined as laid down in the land regulations adopted by the Provincial Council of Hawke’s Pay, sess. 2) at the fixed rate of £1 per acre. Your committee are of opinion that it is unadvisable in the present circumstances of the province to make any alteration in the mode of disposal of the other lands comprised in the provincial estate, excepting as relates to lands for special settlement as hereinafter provided for. As regards the second section of the motion referred to them, your committee are of opinion it is most desirable that provision should be made for the setting apart and occupation of lands suitable for the location of agricultural settlers ; and to promote this object would recommend that resolutions should be prepared and submitted to this Council, providing that due authority may be obtained if necessary to reserve for settlement such lands as may be deemed suitable for agricultural purposes. Your committee have examined the land regulations in force in the Province of Hawke’s Bay, and are of opinion that that portion of those regulations contained in the fouth section and headed “.credit land,” is in most respects suitable for adoption by this province ; and would recommend

that the resolutions referred to should bo baaed in so far as may be found practicable upon that portion of those regulations. There is one point especially in the Auckland regulations which your committee believes, however, cannot be applied to this province. The commitee refer to the adoption of a fixed upset price, which they think cannot be adopted here.