1674
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 47

may be classed as ranging from fair to poor on the spurs. The formation, generally speaking, is limestone, sandstone, and granite. The whole of the area is well watered.

The block is separated from the Buller Valley coach-road by the Maruia North Block, which has all been taken up. Each section has been arranged so as to include a convenient homestead-site, together with some adjacent flat land.

The altitude of the block ranges from 650 ft. above sea-level on the banks of the Maruia to 2,300 ft. on the back spurs.

The forest consists of red-birch and brown-birch, with a few white-pine, black-pine, and red-pine, and occasional totara and black-birch, the under-scrub consisting of broadleaf, five-finger, pepper-tree, fuchsia, &c. There is thus good feed for stock in the forest.

The Mid-Maruia Block is capable of being utilised successfully as healthy sheep- and cattle-grazing country. The climate is good. The liberal terms—an immunity from rent and local taxes for four years—should insure its occupation by persons desirous of making a permanent home for themselves and families.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this twenty-ninth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and seven.

ROBERT McNAB,
Minister of Lands.

Rural Lands in Nelson Land District open for Selection on Lease in Perpetuity.

PLUNKET, Governor.

IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities conferred upon me by section one hundred and thirty-six of “The Land Act, 1892,” and section two of “The Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, 1903,” I, William Lee, Baron Plunket, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby declare and provide as follows, that is to say:—

1. The rural lands enumerated in the Schedule hereto are hereby set apart for disposal by way of selection on and after the seventh day of August, one thousand nine hundred and seven, at the prices specified in the said Schedule.

2. The said lands may be selected on lease in perpetuity only, as provided by section one hundred and twenty-one of “The Land Act, 1892,” as they contain, or are supposed to contain, metal, mineral, or valuable stone, and shall not be purchased for cash.

3. For the purposes of “The Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, 1903,” the lands enumerated in the said Schedule hereto shall be deemed to be “heavy-bush land.”

4. No general rate shall be levied or collected by any local authority from the said lands for the period of four years from the date from which in each case respectively such lands are disposed of, and no local authority shall have power to levy or collect any such rate from such lands during such period.

5. After the first half-year’s rent has been paid by the selector the further instalments of rent payable by him for a period of four years shall not be demanded: provided that if at any time during the first five years of his occupancy the selector disposes of his interest in the land the rent so conceded shall be paid by him in full, and thereupon the Land Board may remit such instalments of rent payable by the incoming tenant, not exceeding in the aggregate the amount of rent previously conceded to the selector, as the Board shall think fit.

SCHEDULE.

NELSON LAND DISTRICT.—INANGAHUA COUNTY.—RAPPAHANNOCK BLOCK.

Second-class Unsurveyed Heavy-bush Land.

LOCALITY AND DESCRIPTION.

The Rappahannock Block is bounded by the Maruia, Glenroy, and Warwick Blocks, and is situated on the main road leading from the Town of Murchison to Maruia Plains via Matakitaki, the distance from Murchison being about twenty-six miles, twenty-two miles of which is excellent dray-road. The remaining distance, a gap of four miles extending from the Maruia Saddle to the mouth of the Rappahannock Stream, is now in course of construction.

The block is provisionally subdivided into fourteen sections, of areas varying from 286 acres to 870 acres, each section being apportioned a proportionate area of river-flat suitable for a homestead-site. The altitude ranges from 1,100 ft. to 2,600 ft. above sea-level, and the quality of the land is above the average. It consists of rich alluvial soil, from 18 in. to 4 ft. deep, on the river-flats, and fair clay soil, from 6 in. to 3½ ft. deep, on the terraces. The higher portion of the block is hilly, of conglomerate-rock formation, with soil good in the gullies and on the slopes, but inferior on the tops of the spurs. The main valley lies to the sun, and is exceedingly well sheltered from cold winds. The whole of the land is forest-clad with light, brown-, and red-birch, and there is a dense undergrowth of black scrub, horopito (pepper-wood), konini (fuchsia), and puka (broadleaf) on the flats, and a lighter undergrowth of konini, horopito, and puka growing in the gullies and on the slopes. Good feed for stock is therefore supplied by the forest.

The Rappahannock Block can be converted into excellent sheep-raising country; it adjoins the Maruia Plains, where settlement has commenced, and has a good climate and good road access.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this twenty-fifth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and seven.

ROBERT McNAB,
Minister of Lands.

Volunteer Regulations amended.

PLUNKET, Governor.

IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities conferred on me by “The Defence Act, 1886,” and its amendments, I, William Lee, Baron Plunket, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby revoke and amend, in the manner and to the extent set forth in the Schedule hereto, such of the General Regulations of the Defence Forces of New Zealand, made on the eighth day of February, one thousand nine hundred and six, and published in the New Zealand Gazette of the same date (including all amendments of such General Regulations made prior to the date hereof), as are set forth in the said Schedule, and do hereby also make the additional regulations set out in such Schedule. And I do hereby declare that such revocation shall take effect, and such amendments and additional regulations shall come into force, on the twenty-seventh day of May, one thousand nine hundred and seven.

SCHEDULE.

REGULATIONS REVOKED.

(1.) REGULATIONS 89, 93, 94, of the said General Regulations are hereby revoked.

REGULATIONS SUBSTITUTED.

(2.) Regulations 88, 91, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 103, are hereby revoked, and the following regulations substituted in lieu thereof:—

Examination and Instruction of Officers.

Regulation 88. There shall be constituted a Central Board of Examination, consisting of the Chief of the General Staff as President, and of such other officers of the Defence Forces as may from time to time be appointed by the Minister.

Regulation 91. It shall be the duty of the Central Board to prepare, according to the subjects prescribed, the questions and the examination-papers for all candidates for commissions or promotion in the Defence Forces, and to examine and check all such papers, and award marks accordingly.

Instruction.

Regulations for Instruction of Officers and Non-commissioned Officers.

Regulation 95. Establishment.—With a view to raising the standard of proficiency of officers and non-commissioned officers of the New Zealand Forces, instructional classes will be held under the direction of the Council of Defence.