[From the New Zealand Journal, April 21, 1849.] LAND REGULATIONS. —No. 1.— The New Zealand Company.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 424, 25 August 1849, Page 4

[From the New Zealand Journal, April 21, 1849.] LAND REGULATIONS. —No. I.— The New Zealand Company.

STATEMENT OF LANDS FOR DISPOSAL. The Colony of New Zealand consists of three islands : the Northern, the Middle, nnd the Southern or Stewarts Island. It is divided at present into two proviuces : the Northern Province, or New Ulster, comprising the norther portion of the Northern Island ; and the Southern Province, or New Munster, comprising the southern portion of the Northern Island, and the whole of the Middle and' Southern Islands. In this Colony four sett eraents have been founded by the instrumentality of the New Zealand Company : in the Northern Inland, Wellington and New Plymouth, on the northern shore of Cook's Strait; in the Middle Island, Nelson on the southern shore of Cook's Strait, and Otago on the southeastern coast of the island. New Plymouth is at present annexed to the Northern Province, but is expected by the Company to- be ultimately included in the Southern. Public and Private Estates cf the Company. In the year 1845, her Majesty's Government recognised the right of the Company to 1,300,000 acres of land, in consideration of its promotion of colonis-ing objects. Of these 1,300,^00 acres, the Company has selected 400,000 at Otago, and proposes to reserve 300,000 to be selected, if practicable, in the Ruamahunga or "Wairarapa district, between the settlement of Wellington and the eastern coast of the Northern Island; thus leaving 600,000 acres, if necessary, for the settlements on Cook's Strait, namely, Wellington, Nelson, and New Plymouth. In the said Cook's Strait settlement the Company has alreadysold to private individuals about 222,000 acres, and has itself repurchased as its private estate (at the same rates as such individuals) about 29,000; making in all about 251,000 acres; and leaving about 349,000, out of the 600,000 above mentioned, not yet disposed of. Difficulties having* been experienced in giving beneficial possession of, portions of the 222,000 acres, the Company in the month of November 1846, declared its readiness, with reference to the settlement of Nelson, to adopt any plan of readjustment not inconsistent with its duties to other parties, in a desire for which the settlers should be unanimous. In the month of February 1847, the Company further empowered its Principal Agent to adopt any plan for the like purpo=e, which after consultation with the landowners in 'the settlement he should deem eligible. On" the Ist of July 1847, the resident landowners and agents in a genei a| meeting adopted a report and resolutions, embodying a plan which was 1 confirmed by another general meeting on the 3d of S-'pl. "following. To this plan, with some modifications, the Company gave its assent on the 3rd of March 1848. In the month of December 1847, the Company further proposed to her Majesty's Government that all questions arising out I of. the purchases of its land which might not be otherwise adjusted," not only in Nel-> son but in Wellington and New Plymouth 1 likewise, should be referred to the sole arbitration of Governor Grey ; and that for the purposes of that arbitration, so much of the 600,000 acres above mentioned, as then was or might be thereafter at the disposal of the Company (to .etherwith the Company's private estate), should- be placed at his Excellency's command. This, proposal having been approved by her Majesty's'Governnient,instructions to give it effect were forwarded t6 Governor Grey, by the Secretary of State

for the Colonies, in the month of March 1 848. And a reply has lately been received, dated 7th October 1848, in which his Excellency reports that, with regard to Wellington', an arrangement had, through his mediation, been concluded between the settlers and the late- Prihoip'al Agent of the Company, with which the settlers expressed, their entire and unanimous satisfaction; that "with reference to the ritlier settlements of the Company, he had found thedifferences v with the settlers at Nelson haid been in point of fact adjusted, so that there appeared no reason for his interference in the affairs of that settlement ; and that nothing remained to be done but to adjust the questions which still remained open at Taranaki (New Plymouth), and although these questions involved some peculiar difficulties, and would therefore require more time for their adjustment, he had no doubt that they would be as satis'actonly disposed of as those which had been adjusted at Wellington." * Crown Grants have been executed in favor of the Company, and copies have been received in EigJand, for 209,247 acres at Wellington, 68,896 acres at Porirua (a district of the Settlement of Wellington), and 400,000 acres at Otago. A copy has also been received of the grant executed for Nelson ; but as the explanatory Gharts have not reached England, its precjse contents are not yet known. Furthergrants are likewise expected immediately for Wanganui ([a district of the settlement of Wellington), and for New Plymouth. The land-questions having been thus adjusted and Crown grants thus issued, by which the Company is enabled to give immediate conveyances to purchasers', it now offers for sale under the annexed terms those portions of the 600,000 acres mentioned above, which will remain undisposed of in the settlements of Wellington, Nelson, and New Plymouth, after giving possession to previous purchasers, satisfying the arrangements above referred'to, and detiningthe Company's private estate. — (See No. 2, page 89 J It also offers for sale, under separate terms, the unsold portions of the* 144,600 acres , which have been laid out in the settlement of Otago, being part of the 400,000 acres comprised in the Otago block. " * Agreement with H.M.s Government. Independently of the Company's right to the 1,300,000 acres above referred to, in thp month of May 1847 an agreement was entered into with her Majesty's Government, that during a period of three years the Government should give up to the Company the entire and exclusive disposal of all Crown lands, and the exercise of the Crown's right of pre-emption of lands belonging to the natives, in the Southern Province. In order to carry out that agreement, an act of Parliament was passed on the 23rd of July in the same year, intituled, 'An Act to promote Colonisation in New Zealand, and to authorise a loan to the New Zealand Company' (10 #1 1 Viet., c. 112), whereby all the demesne lands of the Crown in the said Province, and the rights of the Crown in reference to the same, were vested in the Company until the stb of July 1 850, and during such further time as should be directed by Parliament, in trust for the purposes and subj ct to the provisions and restrictions mentioned in the act. Under the agreement in question the Company with the aid of the Local Government has acquired, by purchase from the natives, considerable tracts ' of land in the Middle Island, Crown Grants for which are expected shortly. Portions of the sad land will be offered for sale as soon as fitting arrangements are made for that purpose. Pasturage and other Licenses, Licenses for the pasturage of the unappropriated portions of the lands comprised in the Cook's Strait settlements, of the 400,000 acres in the Otago block, and of the lands at the disposal oi the Company not included in any settlement, will be respectively issued under separate terms. — (Seeisos. 3 and 4, pages 90.) Separate licenses will also be issued for cutting timber, for collecting flax, and for raiting minerals. By order of the Court, Thomas Cudbbrt Harrington, Secretary; New Zealand House, 9 Broad-street Buildings, Lon Jon, Marcn 23, 1849.