REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO ENQUIRE AND REPORT UPON THE ADMINISTRATION OF SIR GEORGE GREY'S LAND REGULATIONS OF THE 4th OF MARCH, 1853.

Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1856 Session I

1 856. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO ENQUIRE AND REPORT UPON THE ADMINISTRATION OF SIR GEORGE GREY'S LAND REGULATIONS OF THE 4th OF MARCH, 1853.

EXTRACTS FROM THE VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OE THE HOUSE OF ' REPRESENTATIVES.

Votes, No. 7, Wednesday, April 30, 1856. s »■>?«. caU for persons and papers ; the Committee to consist of Major Greenwood T\fr Ar K£fe Mr - ludlam '*■ Mr - <***■ - SSEtt Question put and passed. Votes, No. 14, Fbiday, May 9, 1856 "V otes, No. 17, 'Wednesday, May 14, 1856. - 3 - SESa&sssr* bo referred to ae " Question put and passed.

D—No. 19.

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Votes, No. 23, Thursday, May 22, 185 G. 7. Postponements (7): —On motion of the Colonial Treasurer, the report of the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulations postponed to Tuesday, 3rd June. Votes, No. 30, Tuesday, .June 3, 1856. 3. Postponements (1)On motion of Mr. C. Brown, leave was given to the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulations to postpone their report to this day fortnight. Votes, No. 33, Friday, June C, 1856. 9. Defalcation at NelsonOn motion of Mr. Pox, the order referring to the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulf tions the correspondence on the Nelson defalcation was discharged. Votes, No. 34, Tuesday, June 10, 1856. ■5. Petition of James Gilligan :—Mr. Bell, pursuant to noticc, moved that the petition of James Gilligan be printed and referred to the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulations. Question put and passed. 9. Sir George Grey's Land Regulations Mr. Brown, pursuant to (amended) notice, moved, That the names of Mr. Featherston, Mr. Sewell, and Capt. Cargill, be discharged from the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulations, and the following names added, Mr. Wells, Mr. Lee, Mr. Pox, and Mr. J. Cargill. Question put and passed. Votes No. 39, Tuesday, June 17, 1856. 16. Postponement:—On motion of Mr. Pox, the report of the Committee on Sir George Grey s Land Regulations was postponed to this day week. Votes, No. 45, Tuesday, June 24, 1856. 3. Postponements (6): —On motion of Mr. C. Brown, leave was given to the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulations to postpone their report to Friday next. Votes, No. 48, Friday, June 27, 1856. 8. Postponement: —On motion of Mr. C. Brown, leave was given to the Committee on Sir George Grey's Land Regulations to postpone their report to Monday next. Votes, No. 49, Monday, June 30, 1856. 8. Sir George Grey's Land Regulations Committee :—Mr. C. Brown, Chairman of this Committee! brought up their report, which was read and ordered to be printed.

REPORT. The Select Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed 30th April, 1856, to enquire iDto alleged malpractices connected with the administration of Sir George Grey's Land Regulations of the 4th March, 1853, report as follows :— Your Committee has to report that, after careful inquiry into the administration of Sir George Grey's Land Regulations, the Committed entirely exonerates the late officials from any malpractices in reference thereto; and is of opinion that the Land Regulations introduced by Sir George Grey, although conscientiously administered by the Surveyor General in the Province of Auckland,°have not . worked in a satisfactory manner; at the same time, injustice to that officer, your Committee feels it necessary to state that the administration of the Waste Lands in the different provinces, under Sir George Grey's Regulations, seems to have varied with the different views taken of them by their various administrators. The Surveyor General is of opinion that an application once made for land in a particular locality maintains its priority until satisfied, or withdrawn. The effect of this view is, that unfulfilled applications, standing over in consequence of deaths of applicants, non-completion of survey, or any neglect of applicants, prevent the survey and completion of subsequent applications ; besides withholding from the public, for any number of years, the beneficial occupation of the land so applied for and held" over. Under these circumstances, your Committee is of opinion that the attention of Government ought to be drawn to the necessity tor taking such steps as may be deemed most advisable for limiting the period in which outstanding claims, or grants, may remain open under Sir George Grey's Land Regulations. The case of Mr. John Cox, brought before the Committee, has been fully entered into, and, after a consideration of the correspondence and documents bearing on it, the Committee is of opinion that tho Surveyor General exercised a wise discretion in his decision on this case; a decision founded, as it appears, on the opinions of the 25th July, and 10th August, 1853, supplied by the Attorney General for the guidance of the Surveyor General in connection with the facts of the case. . The Committee has taken the evidence of the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Wellington on tho Petition of James Gilligan, and is of opinion that the Petitioner has a claim to compensation, in consequence ol his not having been able to obtain possession of the land he had purchased, and recommends nis case to the Government for consideration. CHARLES BROWN, Chairman. Committee Room, House of Representatives, Monday, June 30, 1856.