ADVANCES TO SETTLERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9890, 17 January 1895, Page 3

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS.

Wellington, Wednesday. Tbe first meeting of tbe General Lending Bsard under tho Government Advanoes to Settlers Act was held to-day. Mr J. K. Warbnrton, superintendent under the Act, presided. Among those present was the Colonial Treasurer, while the only absent members were tbe Surveyor - General and Solicitor - General. None of tbe applications for loans were dealt with to day, the question under discussion being tbat of valuation, and it waa agreed that in connection with each application as it arites a valuation should be made by the superintendent, or on hia

behalf, by a valuer of his nomination, in the terms of subjection 4 of clause 41 of .fie Act, This is precisely on the same condltlecs under which valuations are regulated by the Pablic Trustee for loans under the Public Trustees AcK As regards bbc appointment of valuers, fcr which provision is made under aeotlon 11 of the Act, two appointments have been already made by the Governor-ln Council, viz., Hugh Carswe'l (Otogo) and Wi'H'.im DuDcan (Auckland), and their appointments date from January Ist, Mr T. K. Macdonald, for Wellington, will shortly ba gazetted, but the selection for Chrlntchurch is not yet made, though it is not unlikely that Mr J. W. A. Marchant, Commissioner of Crown Land 3, will act. In the meantime these four are practically supervisory valuers, though it is not necessary that the superintendent accept their figures, as the Act gives him the cole selection of valuers, and he may, if be I chooses, select any one of the capable valuers, of whom he has an extensive list, to value a security. Mr Warbnrton has just Issued a circular setting forth clearly the term a of the Act and the provisions under which advances can be obtained. Already 600 applications are to hind, and so soon as tbe superintendent receives tho reports of the valuers for a few applications the Board will be convened to deal with them.