THE OTAGO HUNDREDS REGULATION ACT.

Southland Times, Issue 1187, 24 December 1869, Page 3

THE OTAGO HUNDREDS REGULATION ACT.

After a long debate m the Provincial Council, and the withdrawal of the motion submitted by the Government, the following resolutions were agreed to, by a majority of two : — " That whereas it is admitted on both sides of the House that certain amendments should be made in the Otago Hundreds Be^ulation Act, and keeping in view that this Council, at its last session, agreed to recommend His Excellency the Governor to proclaim certain Hundreds, and it being desirable that these Hundreds should be proclaimed at the earliest possible date, and seeing that some time must elapse before the requirements of certain unobjectionable clauses of the said Act can be complied with — Eesolved: That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to communicate with. His Excellency the Governor, requesting him to appoint one or more Officers as provided by Sections 5, 6, and 7, of the Otago Hundreds Eegulation Act, so that on the Act being amended as follows the aforesaid Hundreds may be immediately proclaimed. Ist. No Hundreds shall be proclaimed in the province of Otago after the passing of this Act, unless one-third at least of the area thereof shall be determined under the provisions of this Act to be land available for agricultural purposes. 2nd. That section 4 be amended as follows : — That in determining the boundaries of Hundreds, due regard be paid to the natural features of the country, but no Hundred shall exceed 20,000 acres in extent. 3rd. That section Bbc amended as follows :— lf upon such report being made it shall appear that it is expedient to proclaim the said district a Hundred, it shall be lawful for the Governor, at any time within six months thereafter, at the request of the Superintendent, by Proclamation published in the New Zealand Gazette and in the Provincial Gazette of Otago, to proclaim the said district a Hundred. 4th. That Section 9 be amended as follows: — Every person holding a lease of any pastoral lands comprised within any district proposed to be proclaimed a Hundred as aforesaid, shall be entitled to compensation for the determination of his lease. Provided always that the amount of such compensation shall in no case exceed two shillings and sixpence per acre in respect of the determination of such lease over such portion of the run so to be proclaimed a Hundred as aforesaid, and that J the holder of such lease shall be entitled to compensation in respect of all fencing i which is on the ground and erected in accordance with the provisions of the Fencing Ordinance, 1867. sth. That a new clause be inserted, to provide as follows : — That lessees of Pastoral Lands be entitled to purchase in one block 640 acres as a homestead, inclusive of the existing pre-emptive right of 80 acres, and that the lessees of runs within, goldfielda be entitled to lease a block of 640 acres under terms similar to those provided for agricultural leases granted under the Goldfields Act, 1866, provided that such block may be sold if upon investigation it shall be proved to be nonauriferous. 6th. That clause 35 of the Goldfields Act, 1866, may apply to Hundreds proclaimed within Goldfields."