7

1.—6.

Tuesday, 11th Septembeb, 1877. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment at 11 o'clock. Pbesent : Mr. Ballance, Hon. D. Eeid, Mr. Bastings, Mr. Eolleston, Mr. Beetham, Mr. Sharp, SirE. Douglas, Mr. Stout, Mr. Harper, Mr. Teschemaker, Mr. Lumsden, Mr. Thomson. Mr. Curtis in the Chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Committee resumed consideration of the Bill entitled, " The Land Act, 1877." Clauses 156 and 157 read, and agreed to. Clause 158 read. Amendment proposed, In line 2, to omit all words from the word " an" to the ■word " thereof." (Hon. Mr. Eeid). Amendment agreed to. Another amendment proposed, In line 13 after the word " taken" to insert the words " and that there be paid by the Crown per acre for such area of land taken a sum of money equal to double the amount paid by the purchaser from the Crown for the land "so taken." (Mr. Stout). Amendment agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Clauses 159 to 169 read and agreed to. Resolved, on motion of Mr. Eolleston, That the clauses postponed be considered. Clause 8 again postponed. Resolved, on motion of Hon. Mr. Eeid, That clause 19 be re-considered. Clause 19 read. Amendment proposed, In line 6 after the word "Act" to add the words, "Provided that when any existing Board shall consist of fewer members then five, exclusive of the Chief Commissioner, the Governor may appoint members to such Board so as to bring up the number of Buch members to the aforesaid number." (Hon. Mr. Eeid). Amendment agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Resolved, on motion of Hon. Mr. Eeid, That clause 39 be re-considered. Clause 39 read. Amendment proposed, In line 4to omit the word "and," and insert in lieu thereof the words " but where land is open for selection before survey, no application shall be received for any rural land of a less depth than forty chains from a frontage line and all surveys." (Hon. Mr. Eeid). Amendment agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 43 read. Amendment proposed, In line 5, after the word "or" to add the words "if rural or pastoral lands." (Mr. Stout). Amendment agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 45 read. Amendment proposed In line 6, after the word " no" to add the words " smaller quantity than twenty acres and no." (Mr. Sharp). Amendment agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 75 read. Amendment proposed, To omit the clause. (Mr. Eolleston). And the question being put, That clause 75 stand part of the Bill, the Committee divided and the names were taken down as follows:— Ayes. 9. Noes, 2. Mr. Ballance, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Bastings, Mr. Stout. Mr. Beetham, Mr. Harper, Mr. Lumsden, Hon. D. Reid, Mr. Eolleston, Mr. Teschemaker, Mr. Thomson. So it .passed in the]affirmative. Resolved, on motion ot Hon. Mr. Eeid, That the following words be added to the Bill immediately preceding section 75, "In this portion of this Act relating to the sale of pastoral lands on deferred payments, the term ' pastoral lands ' shall include only such lands as shall be classified in manner herein provided as lands not being suited for agriculture. " For the purpose of such classification the Governor may from time to time appoint three Commissioners in any district, of whom the Chief Surveyor of the district shall be one, to report to him upon any rural lands in the district on which the Governor may require such Commissioners to report, and the said Commissioners shall furnish to the Governor accordingly a description of the boundaries of the land within such district on which they may be requested to report as aforesaid, classified by them as agricultural and pastoral land respectively, which description shall be published in the Gazette, and for the purposes of this portion of this Act the land described in such publication