[From the Government Gazette, June 3.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 818, 4 June 1853, Page 4

[From the Government Gazette, June 3.]

Civil Secretary's Office, Wellington, Ist Jane, 1853. TTIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR -*--*- has been pleased to direct the publication of the following Despatches for general information. By His Excellency's command, Alfred Domett, Civil Secretary.

Civil Secretaiy's Office, Wellington, 3rd June, 1853. Sir, I am instructed by His Excellency Sir George Grey to transmit to you a copy of a despatch from the Right Honorable the Secretary of State, from which you will learn that the power of disposal over the lands confided to the Canterbury Association has determined, and that Her Majesty has delegated to His Excellency authority to regulate the : sale of those waste lands, as well as the other waste lands in the Province of Canterbury, until the General Assembly shall enact that it shall not •be lawful for him to make such Regulations. His Excellency directs me to say, that for the present he entrusts to you, as heretofore, the power of disposing of the waste lands of the Crown in the late Canterbury district. These you will therefore continue until further notice to sell under the regulations established by the Canterbury Association, and pay the proceeds of the sales, weekly, into the Colonial Treasury. The publication of this communication, with its enclosure, will afford His Excellency ah opportunity of being made acquainted with the feelings and wishes of the Canterbury colonists regarding the system, upon which they would desire that the lands in that district should be disposed of, and he will then make such further regulations as may appear necessary and proper in reference to this subject. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, Alfred Domett,* Civil Secretary. W. G. Brittan, Esq.

Enclosure. Downing Street, 15 th December, 1852. Sir, I transmit to you copy of such Correspondence* of which it is material you should be informed as has taken place between this department and the Canterbury Association since the date of tny last advices to you on that subject. You will observe that the Association having made default in the peiformance of one of the conditions imposed on them by the Act 13 & 14 Viet., c. 70, namely, that of making .payment to Her Majesty's Government of one-sixth part of the sum received by it for the disposal of land, I have felt it absolutely necessary to exercise the power given to theSecretary of State by that Act, and have informed Lord Lyttelton, as Chairman to the Association, that their power of disposal over these lands has determined. All that remains is to issue the j formal instrument necessary to effect this determination, which will be forthwith done, and of which you will be immediately apprised. Until therefore the General 'Assembly shall ! otherwise provide, it will be lawful for Her I Majesty to regulate the disposal of these as? 1 well as the other waste lands of the Province, under the powers reserved to Her by Sec. 72 of the Constitutional Act, which power under Sec* 79 she delegates to yourself. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, (Signed) John S. Pakington. Governor Sir George Grey, &c, &c, &c. ■ New Zealand.