Nov. 21.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2233

Amended Regulations under “The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900.”

RANFURLY, Governor.

WHEREAS by Orders in Council made on the first day of February, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven, and the eighteenth day of April, one thousand nine hundred and one, respectively, certain regulations were made by the Governor in Council fixing the terms and conditions for the disposition and occupation of lands acquired under “The Land for Settlements Act, 1894,” and its amendments: And whereas such last-named Acts were repealed by “The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900” (hereinafter termed “the said Act”), and by the said Act it is provided that all regulations made under the above-mentioned repealed Acts shall continue in force until revoked by the Governor under the said Act: And whereas it is expedient to revoke the said recited regulations so far as they relate to lands which have not already been offered for selection, and to make others in lieu thereof:

Now, therefore, His Excellency the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, in pursuance of the powers and authorities conferred upon him by the said Act, and “The Land for Settlements Amendment Act, 1901,” doth hereby revoke the above-recited regulations, and in lieu thereof doth hereby substitute the regulations set forth in the Schedule hereto; and doth hereby declare that such revocation and the regulations hereby made shall take effect on the day of the publication thereof in the New Zealand Gazette.

S C H E D U L E.

REGULATIONS.

AS TO RURAL LANDS.

1. IN every case where agricultural, or mixed agricultural and pastoral lands acquired under “The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900,” are to be disposed of by lease in perpetuity, as prescribed by sections 48 and 49 of the said Act, they shall be disposed of by the Land Board of the district (hereinafter called “the land district”) wherein the lands are situate in the manner and upon the terms and conditions hereinafter appearing.

2. Every lease shall be for a term of 999 years, to be reckoned from the next 1st day of January or July following the date of the lease, and shall in addition include the broken period between the date of the lease and such day.

3. The land shall be divided into allotments not exceeding 1,000 acres each, and no lease shall comprise more than one allotment, and such allotments shall be grouped according to the provisions of “The Land for Settlements Amendment Act, 1901.”

4. An allotment may comprise one or more sections of the settlement whereof it forms part; and, subject to the limit of maximum area prescribed by these regulations, the Land Board, with the approval of the Minister of Lands (hereinafter called “the Minister”), may at any time before the disposal of any allotment alter the area thereof, or divide it into other allotments.

5. (1.) The yearly rental in respect of each allotment shall be an amount equal to 5 per cent. on the capital value of the land (exclusive of the buildings thereon), computed in manner prescribed by section 51 of “The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900,” and shall be payable in equal parts, half-yearly, in advance, to the Receiver of Land Revenue, on the 1st day of January and 1st day of July in each year, the first half-year’s rent being due on the 1st day of January or July first following the date of the lease, and being payable out of the hereinafter-mentioned deposit.

(2.) The lease shall be dated as on the day whereon the Land Board declares that the applicant has succeeded in obtaining the allotment.

6. Every application shall be in the form or to the effect set forth in the First Schedule hereto, and every applicant shall make the declaration therein set forth, or to that effect.

7. Every applicant shall, to the best of his ability, answer the questions set forth in his application, and such other questions relating to his means and ability to work the land and fulfil the conditions of the lease as the Land Board may see fit to ask. Failure to answer any such question to the satisfaction of the Land Board will entail the rejection of the application. Applications must be made for the allotments in group or subdivision, but no applicant may apply in more than one group or subdivision.

8. (1.) No application will be considered unless it is accompanied by a deposit consisting of an amount equal to the rent for the first half-year of the term of one of the allotments within the group or subdivision applied for, together with the sum of one guinea to defray the cost of the lease.

(2.) An applicant may indicate his desire to select any one allotment in a group or subdivision, but no person shall be allowed to acquire or to hold more than one allotment.

(3.) If there is only one applicant for any allotment in a group or subdivision he shall prima facie be entitled to the allotment selected by him.

(4.) If the applicant is successful in obtaining an allotment, his deposit, or a sufficient part thereof, shall be retained and applied in payment of the half-year’s rent, or of the half-year’s rent and sinking fund, in respect of such allotment, or of the interest only, as the case may be; the residue, if any, shall be returned to him, and he shall forthwith complete the payment of the first half-year’s rent, or rent and sinking fund if the deposit is insufficient. There shall not be any right to withdraw any application, or right to claim a refund of any deposit. Provided that the Board may, in its discretion, on application, permit the refund of any deposit on being satisfied that the application was genuine and made in good faith, and that the grounds for withdrawal are bona fide and not contrary to the spirit of these regulations.

(5.) In any case where there are fewer applicants than there are allotments in a group or subdivision then, subject as hereinafter mentioned, each applicant shall have the option of taking the allotment mentioned in his application.

(6.) In cases where two or more applicants indicate their choice of the same allotment, then the Board may, by consent of the parties, adjust the applica-