SALE OF TOWN LANDS.

West Coast Times, Issue 196, 4 April 1866, Page 2

SALE OF TOWN LANDS.

The first sale of public lands ever held in Westland took place yesterday, at the Supremo Court House, it having been previously notified by proclamation that, on the 3rd April, a certain portion of the Township of Hokitika would be offered to public competition, at the upset price of £48 per acre, the sale to commence at noon. Long before the appointed time a considerable crowd thronged the approaches to the court house, and, when the doors were opened, rushed in and completely filled it, evincing by their eagerness how strong was their desire to really possess the land, and thus have a stake in the country, albeit the belief to the contrary is very generally entertained in some quarters. Speculation was rife as to the probable result of the sale ; for it was believed by occupiers of sections that there would be much competition, as several strange faces had been noticed during the past few days, which were currently reported to belong to Christchurch men, who had come down to secure the most valuable allotments at any price. These fears, however, were groundless, as the bidding afterwards proved ; and it was very evideut that very few, if any, of that class yclept " land jobbers " were present at the sale. Much moderation was alsp discovered by bonajido buyers, who it was evident were there more for tlje purpose of securing their own sections than running up the price of their neighbors'. Taking the sale throughout, the bidding was anything but spirited, as nearly all those allotments on which were improvements fell to the upset price. The sale was conducted by Mr Brittan, Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands, who wus assisted by Mr Davie, Chief Surveyor, and Mr Sale, the Receiver of Land Revenues. At noon, the Chief Commissioner opened the proceedings by stating that the sitting of the Crown Land Board had been appointed by the Superintendent, and published in the Gazelle. He read a notice to that effect from the Gazette, and said that those sections about to be submitted

fot.sale had albo beten gazetted, and wjere diviuVd into two classes. 'Class the first consisted of thoite Sections which had been applied for privately, and a deposit of ten per cent, upon the upset price paid upon them ; therefore those parties who had done so would be considered as the .first bidders '$ and if there was no advance made by others, the land would be knocked down to thorn. Anyone desirous tof competing there would, have to bid ten per cent, in advance of their price. A lesser bid than ten per cent, in advance of the last one would not be accepted. Second-class flectfons were those, which aft no ftppn cation had been made for them and deposit paid, had been endorsed to be sold by the Superintendent. Present occupiers wishing to buy them must bid the upset price, and no .after bid would be accepted unless ten per cent, in advance of that price. The sale commenced with first-class 'flections, No. 6, being first on the list ; but as it was not marked on the common survey plan nearly everyone present was in the dark as to its whereabouts, and no one made the required bid in advance. Mr Shaw called the attention of the Commissioner to the omission, who referred I him to the private Government map where No. 6 was found; to t>e o a section iv the Camp Reserve, Revell Street, 25 perches in 'extent, and comprised that corner opposite to the one recently granted to the Bank of New Zealand. This fact occasioned some surprise, as it was understood that no part of Rovell Street to the South of Fitzherbert Street would be sold. The allotment, however, was a valuable one,, and was quickly run up to £193 12s, at which figure .it .waa ( purchased by Mr Sprot, who it afterwards appeared was acting aa agent for the Union Bank, for the name of that company was entered as the buyer. Some rather strong remarks were made aud dissatisfaction expressed at the manner in which this particular section had been placed in the market, and there were some who did not hesitate to say that a prearrangement had been made with the above Bank, as a set off to the favor shown to the Bank of New Zealand in allowing it to occupy the other corner of the reserve. This section having thus been disposed of, the sale proceeded but slowly, the sale of the first ten sections occupying quite an hour. Appended is a list of the sectiqns sold yesterday, with the names of the buyers, valuation of improvements, and tttd amount realized on each section,

CLASS IST. No. Improve* Price monts. realized. 6 nil £193 12 o— Union Bank. 945 nil 214 O— A. Gibbs 946 £580 3 3 o— M'Beath & Co. 947 1740 3 3 O— M'Boath & Co. 948 680 3 3 o— M'Beath & Co. 949 28 3 6 o— M'Boath & Co. 950 38 42 11 6— M'Boath & Co. 951 11 3 6 o— M'Beath & Co. 952 100 3 12 6— M'Beatk & Co. 953 135 819 O— R. Reoves 954 65 319 O— R. Reeves 976 40 418 O— W. Moss 011 nil 41 13 6—o. Stevonson 978 70 5 19 O— J. Patten 979 nil 43 19 0 Robinson 980 40 911 6— O-. North 981 50 5 5 6— Frew g982 98 518 6— Clayton 983 75 6 6 o— Clayton 984 240 6 6 o— Klapp 985 120 612 o— Klapp 1077 38 615 O— S. M. South 1078 EOO 7 0 0-S.M, South 1079 62 6 6 O— S. M. South 1080 nil 39 2 o— Dobson 1082 240 7 0 o— Cooper 1083 150 7 0 o— Throokmorton 1085 186 7 0 o— Henderson 1086 143 7 0 o— Henderson 316 nil 29 4 o— Hassal 318 66 21 19 o— Hassal 320 nil 18 3 o— Hassal 322 nil 21 10 o— Soulsby 324 nil 19 19 o— Brent 826 50 416 o— Young 328 50 416 o— O'Malley 330 35 4 16 o— Williams 332 45 4 16 o— Hansen 334 '45 416 O—Farrel 336 340 <? 0 o— B. Rooros 338 60 2 8 o— Saunders 340 27 10 6 0 o— Revel 342 27 10 6 0 o— Revel 344 65 6 0 o— Miller 346 nil 22 16 o— Cloves 348 35 6 0 O— M. Roaoh 850 64 6 0 o— W.Goodriok 352 nil 14 0 o— Russel 354 £34 4 1 6— H. Elliott 356 55 12 15 o—o. P. Soulsby 358 29 2 8 o— V.Frank 860 nil 3 12 6— W.Goooh 362 29 29 6 . O— M. Gtoinnml 364 nil 20 6 o— Sinolair and Co. 366 nil 20 10 6— R. Smith 368 100 2 8 0-A. Blaokard 870 70 2 8 o— Bonnor 372 300 2 8 o— Turnbull 374 nil 30 0 o— Maoenvoy 376 94 6 0 o— R.Scott 378 26 8 17 o— Mulholland 380 60 2 18 o— Mulholland 382 459 2 8 o— Wilson &Burnoll 384 126 2 8 O— V. Frank 386 125 2 14 o— V.Frank 888 67 48 16 o— Wilson ABurnell 390 113 3 6 o— Wilson &Burnoll 392 250 815 O— S. Waller 394 689 618 O— J. Cowlishaw 396 150 6 18 o— Virtue 398 110 612 O— R. Maointyro 400 155 612 O— R. Macintyro 402 157 6 6 o—o. Louisson 404 389 2 14 o—o. Louisson 406 136 214 O— J. Sanfov 428 nil 20 10 6— W. Wilson 430 nil 12 15 O— W. Wilson 432 nil 15 11 6— W. Wilson 434 nil 15 11 6— Craig 436 nil 17 2 O— J. Wiokham 438 nil 14 3 6— Lcuisson 440 nil 12 18 0-J Wickham.