THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. "This fact I will chronicle." WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1895.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 2, Issue 125, 8 May 1895, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. "This fact I will chronicle." WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1895.

The sale of leases in this town and neighborhood which took place in the Courthouse on Thursday last can only be a source of gratification to the residents, and co: res most favorably with the previor. auction t' t took place ou December 28, 1893. A short .analysis of the safe may bo of interest to our readers. Out of a total of 155 town, 22 suburban, and 24 rural sep-. tions, or 201 lots in all, submitted to competiti:. , 54 or over 25 per cent were disposed of. If we take the town sections alone we find that of the 155 offered 44 or over 30 per cent were leased; of the suburban lots 8 out of 22 were taken up. This is

highly satisfactory in face of the strength with, which it was urged th.it tbe stringency of the conditions would be detrimental to the success of the sale. There was none of the reckless bidding observable at last sale, a cir' cumstance which is clearly due to tbe conditions alluded to, and the necessary deposits v/ero duly made before the close of the proceedings. For the present purpose the consideration of the rural sections may be omitted, as the law which makes it necessary that town and suburban areas should be disposed of by public auction does not apply and they can be taken up at any time on tendering the upset rental. In the town and suburbs combined 52 sections cr 34 percent of the 177 submitted were taken up and the total annual rental accruing from these amount 3 to £209 os or an average of a little more than £4 por section. The highest price paid was for Section 14, Block 30, which was raised from the upset of £4 to £8 ss.

The conditions render it necessary that the town sections (and we presume that this also refers to suburban sections though they havo not been particularised,) shall bo " improved" to ten times tlio annual rental. This is rather ambiguous and might have been made clearer. Take the caso of a section whicli lias been let at the upset rental of £3; when tho lessee lias cleared, ploughed, and fenced his ground he will have approached very near to the amount stipulated in the conditions, and'may then lie on liis oars and wait for the " unearned increment." AVe do not think, however, that it is the intention of lessees to evade the clause regarding improvements, nor do wo suppose that in seeing it attended to the Government will press with unnecessary harshness on anyone, For instance, we take it, that it will bo competent for the lessee of two or more adjoining sections to erect a building on one of these ton times the gross annual rental of the whole area, so long as the entire holding may be comprised within ouo fence. iS'ur will it. likely bo objected to in a lessee, who may havo acquired land at last sale, when there was no compulsion as to improvement, but who may have erected a house or shop theroon, if ho includes 1 lis more recent leasehold within his fence, or removes tho building to his now ground. We do not think it will be sufficient, however, for lessees of various sections, in different parts of the town and suburbs, to improve one of these groups of allotments to ten times tho gross annual rental of the whole, and submit that the condition has been fulfilled. If such were pei" mitted it would only perpetuate the objectionable features of the previous sale and do much to deter the progress of the town. Such evasions of the conditions, however, need not be looked for as wo believe that tho meat majority of tho purchasers have a uoxa fide interest in the advancement of the town.

A serious hiteli is liable to occur bore at any time for want of a bench to hear causes now that Mr Malfroy ,Ims gone away. At present there are only two Justices available—Dr Giiulers and Mr J. 11. Taylor, and cither of these gentlemen might be called away at any moment and thus cause serious inconvenience to parties having business before the Court. MiTaylor is, it is true, able to predicate hi.s movements with a certain degree of accuracy, so that his absence may he arranged for, but in Dr Cinders' case it is impossible to foretell at what moment he might he called away on a matter which would brook no delay. Cases frequently crop up here which require the presence of witnesses from outlying places and it would bo lyifair to these and to the litigants to put them to a heavy expenditure .of time iind money which could easily be avoided. If our member, Mr W. Kelly, were to submit this matter to the consideration of the Government it would no doubt have tin; desired effect.

Wf. would remind those of our readers who liaye athletic tendencies that the holiday generally observed by loyal people on Her Majesty's birthday is approaching and that a favourable opport.unity is offered of organising an outdoor gathering of some description. If there were sufficient boats oil tho lake an aquatic carnival would at once suggest itself, but as that mucli-to-be-desired state of affairs will not culminate until the wliarf which is proposed to be built on the lake side is an accomplished fact, we will have to fall back upon an athletic sports gathering. The funds of the Brass Band, it is understood, require augmenting, and the members of that body there is no doubt would be eager to assist in any scheme having that desirable object iu view. An attractive programme might be drawn up with little trouble and if the additional allurement of a concert in the evening bo added any fear of failure fades into nothingness.