TREATMENT OF PASTORAL DEFAULTERS.

Evening Star, Issue 8723, 15 January 1892, Page 2

TREATMENT OF PASTORAL DEFAULTERS.

From the correspondence which has been published relative to the treatment of Mrs Haldane, lessee of run 467 (Southland), it seems that on October 2 last the manager of the Perpetual Trustees Company (her agents) wrote to the Receiver of Land Revenue at Invercargill demurring to the fine of L3l, which was characterised as “absurd,” and intimating that the rpatter would be brought under the notice of the Minister of Lands for his decision. Accordingly, on the same date the whole facta were brought under the Minister’s notice. It was contended that it would be “straining the Act far beyond tho intention of the framers,” and it was added that “to an ordinary mind it seems absurd that L3l should be charged as a fine for not paying Lls rent for country six months in advance.” The Ministsr was asked to instruct the Receiver of Land Revenue at Invercargill to accept the rent, as tendered, and in future to “use his discretion in charging fines and accepting rents (even though a few days overdue according to the Act, which requires all such rents to bo paid in advance).” On October 0 the Receiver replied that he had no option but to decline receiving rent, unless accompanied by the penalty. He had no authority to waive penalties, that being the prerogative of the head of the Land Department, On November 3(1 the Under • Secretary fur Lands wrote that “tho Minister directs that the fine for non payment of rent of run 467 on due date be insisted on.”