Miscellaneous.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 232, 10 December 1887, Page 6

Miscellaneous.

Sir Georgo Grey has brought the whole matter of the Point Resolution Land Transfer scandal at Auckland in the form of a a petition, which was presented for him yesterday by Mr Goldie. The petition goes hilly into iho circumstances of the case. It &cts forth that the petitioner as Governor on Sept. 23rd, 1850, granted the land as an endowment in trust tor the support oi schools and maintenance of orphan and destitute children. The petition states inter alia, the trustees leased such lands to R. C. Carr, in August, 1873, at a rent of £5 annually, he to erect a house volued at £ICO. The trustees also leased a portion in 1873 to T. Heale at a annual rental of £12, and a condition thab he would erect a house to cost £225. Heale subsequently bought Cair's interest for £5. Heale then built a house of considerable value upon the same land, and made other valuable improvements. On June 18th, 1883. Heale sold to Kissling for £3,000. It is piesumed that £100 was paid down for this interest, as Mr Kissling executed a, deed of mortgage to Heale on the 21st December, 1883, for £1,900, payable on the lsb January, 1894. The petitioner states that about 3-4ths of an acre of the said 5 acres was required for defence purposes. That their land purchase agent, Mr Brewer, was anxious for reasons stated in correspondence to secure tho lemaining portion ot the said allotment of 3^ acres as a freehold estato for Mr Kissling, the then tennant by the Public Work's Act, 1882, Amendment Act, 1885 the said land was taken not for defence purposes but to secme a great pait as a freehold for a private person to the great) injury present, and prospective of many ot her majesty subjects. To facilitate this, the Governor was advised by proclamation for reasons given which the petitioner believed to have been misleading, and the General Assembly was in a like manner lei by a misleading representation to pass an Act in violation of the provisions of the Public "Works Act, and whereas tho highest legal authorities hold that no State should deprive many persons of life, liberty or property without due process of law. The foregoing principlo is intended to secure all individuals fiom the arbitrary exercise of the pawers of the Government, unrestrained by the principle of private rights. The petitioner, therefore, humbly and earnestly pi ays that your honourable House will take speedy measures by which. justice shall be done in this matter, and the land which has been wrongfully taken from orphens and destitute children shall be restored to the purposes for which they were originally granted, and your petitioner will ever pray.

Evasion of the Mining Act. The law compels all mining companies to publish half - yearly statements of their operations, and. failure on the part of tho Union Company at Waihi, Auckland, to so comply with the Mines Act has been brought under the notice ot Mr Seddon by some shareholders and interested speculators. The Government have informed the member for Kumara that the Inspector of Mines at Te Aroha has had his attention called to this neglect on the Union Co.'s part, and he has been instructed to take the necessary steps to enforce compliance with the law.

The Land BUI. The Waste Lands Committee have reached the 27th clause of the new Land Bill, and hope to be able to complete their report to-day. Amongst the more important alterations are the following provisions, made for the ballot system instead of by sale by auction, a sub-section being added, under which the deferred payment settlers who forfeit their holding shall be refunded in full the sum for improvements, instead of 75 per cent, less charges of sale. In the case of small grazing runs, improvements are to be allowed for to the extent of five times the actual rent, provided that they arc greater than £50. The clause c riginally provided for three times the ro.it. It ia expected that tho clai se abolishing the Land Boards will be struck out, but their present powers will be exceedingly limited. (Latest Parliamentary will be found on page 8.1