CANTERBURY RAILWAYS LAND RESERVATION BILL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1899, 30 November 1877, Page 3

CANTERBURY RAILWAYS LAND RESERVATION BILL.

This is a Bill intituled an Act to provide for the construction of branch railways m the Provincial District of Canterbury, and runs as follows : — Whereas it ia desirable to provide for the construction of several branch railways: in the Provincial District of Canterbury, without imposing any burden m respect thereof on the consolidated revenue of the colony : Be it therefore enacted by tho General Assembly of New Zealand m Parliament assembled, and by the authority of tho sumo, as follows : — 1. The short title of this Act shall bo " The Canterbury Railways Land Reservation Act, 1877." 2. It shall bo lawful for tho Governor to mnke reserves out of the waste lands of the Crown m tho provincial district of Canterbury not exceeding m tho whole the area of 350,000 acres. Such reserves shall, as far as practicable, be selected from lands either contiguous to or likely to be benefited by the several lines of railway specified inthe schedule hereto. 3. The said lands so reserved shall at all times bo open for sale and disposal m parcels at the same prico and upon the same terms and conditions m all respects ns those upon which the waste lands of the Crown m the provincial district of Canterbury are now or may hereafter be open for sale ; and every application to purchase such lands, or any part thereof, shall bo made to the "Wasto Lands Board of Canterbury, and shall be determined m the sa:ne manner ond form as applications to purchase wasto lands of the Crown m the eaid provincial district are now or hereafter may bo mnde ; and upon paymont of the purchase money for the land comprised m every such application, the Board may declare the applicant to ba purchaser thereof, and may givo to such purchaser a license to occupy the same : Provided always that, as to any portions of the said lands over which pre-emptive rights were m force at the time of the reserving thereof, the person or persons entitled to such preemption shall continue to have tho prior option of purchasing ouch portion, m accordance with the law for the time being m force regulating such pre-emptive rights. 4. Every person being the holder of a depasturing license over any portiou of the. said lands so reserved shall coutinue to hold Hie same, upon tho same terms and conditions m all respects as such lands were held by him immediately antecedent to the reserving thereof, and a8 if this Act had not beeu passed ; and the said lands shall also hereafter further be let for depasturing purposes to such persons, and at such rent, and upon such terms and conditions as may by law bo fixed, as the terms and conditions upon which depasturing licenses over wnsto lands of the Crown in' the said laud district are held for the time being. 5. All. Ihn rents and profits of the said lands, arid all the purchase money paid for nny portion thereof, shall- bo paid by tho Receiver of Land Revenue, m such manner as may be directed by. tho Colonial Treasurer, into a special account, to be called The Canterbury Branch Railways Fund. 6. The Minister for Public Works shall, as soon ns conveniently may be, caueo to be mado detailed surveys and estimates of the cost of the several brunch railways enumerated iv tho Schedule to this Act. 7. It shall bo lawful for tho Governor to construct and maintain the said branch railways m accordance with, such detailed survey, and to pay for tho same, and also lor the detailed survoy of tho said railways, out of the rents and profits paid as aforesaid into tho Canterbury Branch Railways Fund. No charge shall be made on the revenues of the colony m respect of the construction of tho said braucb. railway*, or of tho detailed survoy thereof. scnEDTJLE. 1. Oxford to Malvern lino. 2. Malvern extension for 6 miles. 3. From the most suitable point on the White-cliffs line to the Rakaia Gorge. 4. Ashburtoa to Alford Forest. 5. From a point on the Christchurch and Southbridge line to Little River, 23 inilo3. 6. Albury to Fairlie Creek. 7. From a point on the Main South Line, near Waimale, towards Hakateramca, 12 mi I as. 8. Orari to Hilton via Geraldine, 20 mile?.