The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 35, 22 March 1856, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, March 22, 1556. Ox the Ist day of April next, the Public will have an opportunity of purchasing any of the Waste Lands of the Crown at £2 petacre, and we expect to hear of numerous sales, notwithstanding the rather questionable inducement held out by the Roads' Bill, which promises fo invest each purchaser with a right to tax himself to the extent of one shilling per acre every year in addition. For undoubtedly there is land to be found in limited quantities, the fertility and local advantages of which will make it cheap at £2 per acre. We are as yet unaware how ' far the preparations for carrying out the Land Regulations are advanced, not having yet "heard any particulars in refeience to the appointment of the Board of Commissioners, or the times and places at which the business of the Board will be transacted. These are matters of which we expect to hear more presently. However as the time for tendering applications for purchase is so near at hand, we are apt to enquire tbe manner in which applications are to be made. As regards this part of the proceedings, what we ascertain from the Land Regulations is simply that applicants must attend in person or by "agent"' duly authorized" (we suppose in writing), and write his name in the "Application Book ;" also that the applicant or his agent must attend the sitting of the Board of Commissioners, (see clause 13th of Land Regulations published in our numbers of Feb. 27thaud March Ist). Our first concern, however, is the application. We naturally enquire whether any description in writing is required to be handed in to the Commissioner at the time of application. The Regulations are silent on this head. Perhaps it is intended that applicants should give no description of the land they may be desirous of buying, until called upon to point it out by the Board. Then comes the question of precedence. This is a delicate question !.to determine. Fifty gentlemen present themselves at an early hour at the door of the Laud Office, waiting the commencement of business.^ Id written applications are required, each^will be armed with a written application, all dated § April Ist, ten o'clock precisely. Then comes the " tug of war." Who is to be first admitted ? All claim the right. The 13th clause makes a wise provision tor concurrent applications. The Commissioner is to " bracket" the names, aud the order in which the claims of those who are bracketted is to be heard will be determined by Jot. This suggests a remedy for1 the fotegoing dilemma that may be made to operate with the most perfect success, as follows. Let each applicant sign his name without any description of the land he requires ; bracket all who present themselves during each quarter of an hour during the day ; and let precedence among those named in each bracket be determined by lot as provided. This would certainly appear a very fair and entirely harmless plan. Probably the very one intended for adoption by the Board. However, this is mere conjecture, for as yet we have heard nothing. One thing is certain, that it would under this system he perfectly impossible to impute any unfairness in receiving the applications. And by some such plan, the Chief Commissioner would be much relieved in the discharge of the very onerous office duties he may shortly expect.