Waste Lands Act, 1854

Be lawful for the Governor, if he shall think fit, from time to time, with the advice of his Executive Council, by Proclamation in the "New Zealand Government Gazette," to issue and put in force such Regulations within such Province, or any part thereof, on a day to be named in the Gazette in which the same shall be published, not being less than one calendar month from the publication thereof.

3. No such Regulations shall be proposed to any Provincial Council for their adoption by the Superintendent or any member thereof, unless the same shall have been previously published in the "Government Gazette" of the Province in which such regulations are proposed to be brought into operation, or in some newspaper to be published in the capital town thereof for the space at least of twenty-eight days nor until fourteen days after the commencement of the session in which the same shall be proposed. Provided always that it shall be competent for the Provincial Council, at their pleasure, to alter or amend any regulations which shall be so proposed to them as aforesaid.

4. The term Governor in this Act shall include the Officer administering the Government for the time being.

5. This Act shall be entitled and may be cited as "The Waste Lands’ Act, 1854."

Provincial Secretary’s Office,
Christchurch, 11th November, 1854.

In accordance with the provisions of the Waste Lands’ Act, the following Regulations for the Management of the Waste Lands of the Crown within the Province of Canterbury, are published for general information previously to their being proposed to the Provincial Council for their adoption.

H. G. GOULAND,
Provincial Secretary.

Draft Regulations for the Disposal, Sale, Letting, and Occupation of the Waste Lands of the Crown in the Province of Canterbury

Public Reserves

1. Reserves for purposes of military defence, and for the uses of the General Government, shall be made by the Governor of New Zealand; and shall remain vested in the Crown, and shall not be alienated from such purposes, unless by an Act of the General Assembly.

2. Reserves for the uses of the Provincial Government, and for other public purposes may, upon the recommendation of the Provincial Council be made by the Superintendent; and shall not be alienated from the specific purposes to which they shall have been severally dedicated, except under the provisions of an act of the General Assembly, entitled the "Public Reserves’ Act, 1854;" and a full and complete description of every such Reserve, and of the purposes to which it shall have been dedicated shall, so soon as possible after it shall have been made, be published in the Government Gazette of the Province, and set forth on the authenticated Maps in the Land Office. Provided that the Superintendent may, if the Provincial Council be not then sitting, temporarily reserve land for such purposes until the next Session of such Council.

3. Reserves for public highways, bridle-paths, and footpaths shall be made by the Superintendent, and shall be set forth on the authenticated Maps in the Land Office.

4. The Superintendent may temporarily reserve any land for the preservation or sale of the timber thereon; but such land may at any time cease to be so reserved upon a resolution of the Provincial Council.

5. The Superintendent may, upon the recommendation of the Provincial Council, by proclamation in the Government Gazette, reserve from the operation of these regulations any tract of country in which the precious metals may be found to exist; and the land within such tract of country shall be disposed of according to regulations hereafter to be issued and published in that behalf; in the same manner and under the same authority as these present regulations.

Town Lands

6. The sites of Towns shall be determined by the Superintendent upon the recommendation of the Provincial Council, and shall be notified by Proclamation in the Government Gazette of the Province.

7. Town Lands shall be sold by Public Auction, in sections, the size and upset price of which shall be determined by the Superintendent; and having been so determined, for each town severally, shall not again be altered.

8. The time and place of every auction sale, shall be fixed by the Superintendent, and shall be notified in the Government Gazette of the Province, at least thirty days before such sale shall take place.

9. No such notification of any sale of town lands shall be published until a map of the town, signed by the Government Surveyor, shall have been laid open for public inspection in the Land Office: and such map shall set forth, accurately delineated, all the town sections numbered consecutively, and all the Public Reserves within the limits of such Town.

10. Town sections may be put up to auction, either by order of the Superintendent, or upon the application of some person who shall, at the time of making such application, deposit ten per cent. of the upset price.