Interesting to Settlers.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 5, Issue 409, 4 July 1890, Page 3

Interesting to Settlers.

A case of in crest came before the Southland lamd Board the other day with respect to the re valuing of a deferred pa j men t section. T fie section

was applied for. but the previous holder, Mr Macalister, who had forfeited the section, asked the Board to re consider their decision with the View to giving 111 in the land ,f |eissible. ll »as soiled that b, took up tlie land at 100 shillings per acre, improved it. and paid instalments totalling 82 slid lings, when being unable to continue his payments the lfiaual declared Ins section forfeited. Immediately after wards re valuation under the Act of last session was legalised, and the value of ill*- land was assess* d at 80 -billings per acre, or two shillings leas than tlie first settler had already |>aid in inslaftiieiil*. Mr Macalister therefor, thought he had a claim in equity to be placed on tin land again. The Chief Commissioner, Mr Spence, was of opinion that the Board could do nothing, as the proviaion of the section of the Act on which it was argued that a rehearing could be granted applied only to cases of duuiinyisui, and tliat in o.lier cases tlie rehearing must be within 80 days, a period which had long since elapsed, lie lead a memo fnun the department on a similar case, in which it was slated that no relief could be grniitcd in such circumstances, the first selector having been oat of possession be-f.-re the Revaluation Act was passed. Mr T. Macdonald, for the applicant, said that he Mr Macalister) lied interviewed the Minister of Lands, who had expressed the opinion that the Board had the power to undo what it had done. Mr Deniuston, a member of the Board, contended that they had the power under tlie lamd Act to deal with such matters independently of any expression of opinion from \VelInn hi. Eventually it was decided to r* t< r tlie matter to the Munster for Lauds.