Wellington Land Board.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume II, Issue 194, 27 August 1894, Page 3

Wellington Land Board.

Special Meeting. 1 By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, This Day. \ f A special meeting of tho Land Hoard I was held at noon to-day to enquire • iider he 60th section of the Land Act as to 1 whether tho conditions of two perpetual eases held in the Makui i Surv.y J>:sir:ct one by Mrs Sharman and Olio by Mrs Arnot) had been fulfilled. Mr Skerret appeared for the Crown and ! Mr Gray for Mrs Sharman, whose case • was heard first. All witnesses were ordered out of the room. Mrs Sharman was examined by Mr Skerret. She stated that in the later part M 1889 she took up section 13, Block i XIII., Makuri Survey District she has never resided upon it or improved it and in 1890 she sold the land to Mrs Arnot. Early in 1890 Mr Donald Donald asked her what she was prepared to take for the section and she said she would ; accept £IOO ; this offer was closed and the J money paid over in Mr Richmond’s office ; in Pahiatua, thereafter she ceased to | have any interest in thesection. She had j two other offers besides that of Donald's, j She did not knew at the time she sold the j land that she was powerless to transfer without the consent of the Land Boaid. By Mr Gray: Sho had only come out from England just before the land was taken up. She had seme means and with her husband intended to take up land to cultivate. At Mr Horace Baker’s suggestion she applied for Section 13, and get it. j Her application was a bona fide one. She j was always under the impression that Donald was acquiring land for his sister, Mrs Arnot. Her husband was advised by a solicitor at Pahiatua that she could transfer the land without the Board’s permission. Geo. A. Sharman said his wile paid the first half-year’s rent with the application for the section. He had other offers other than that of Mr Donald Donald’s for the purchase of th# seotion. An adjoining proprietor, MrTylee, made bona fide application to purchase before Donald made the offer. During the first interview with Donald the latter said he was negotiating i for his sister, and witness understood Ue i was acting as agent for her. He could not remember whose name was attached to the cheque of LIOO given iw payment j for the section. Ho heard afterwards, but not from Donald that improvements were being effected on the section, lie | was not aware that the Board’s sanction j hnd to be given to the transfer. By Mr Gray : Finding that that they I were likely to he a little short of cash he and his wife decided not to improve the | land. H# did not know anything about, the provisions of the Land Act. By Mr Skerretfc : He did net recollect anv conversation with Mr Stewart, of Pahiat a, in which he had told the latter lie had old the section, and Stewart ’inked him how he would stand if tho section were forfeited, lie would not, however, nwear that no such conversation ever look place. Ho had reasons to believe DoMftld was the real purchaser and not Mr Arnot. Witness had acted in a bona fide wn v throughout. By Mr Hogg: Ho had never seen Mr Arnot with regard to this transaction. He knew Mr Arnot lived at Masterton. At 1 p.m. the - Board adjourned till 2 The caue is likely to last two or three days.