LAWS RELATING TO CROWN LANDS. 35 



time thereafter making either a residential or another non-residential 

 conditional purchase, unless the latter is necessary to cnuhli" him to 

 reach his maximum area. A non-residential conditional purdiaso docs 

 not carry a right to a conditional lease. 



Auction Sales. 



Crown lands may be sold by auction without conditions; but fi-uiu 

 considerations of policy the law provides that during any one year not 

 more than 200,000 acres shall bo disposed of by this method. Town 

 and suburban lands are for the most part disposed of in this manner. 

 Lands are put up in blocks, each not exceeding h acre in the case of 

 town lands, 20 acres in the case of suburban lauds, and 640 acres in 

 the case of country lands. The blocks are offered at upset prices, which 

 necessarily vary according to their situation and advantages ; but such 

 upset prices cannot be lower than for town lands £8 per acre, suburban 

 lands £2 10s. per acre, and country lauds £1 5s. per acre. 



In all cases a deposit of 25 per cent, is payable by the purchaser at 

 the time of sale. The balance, in ordinaiy circumstances, is payable 

 within three months ; but in the case of town or suburban lands, or 

 portions not exceeding 20 acres, the Minister may submit the land to 

 sale on deferred payments, in which case the balance is spread over 

 a fixed period (not exceeding five years), and is payable in annual 

 instalments with 5 per cent, interest. 



Town or suburban land, or land within a popuhition area, which 

 has passed at auction may be applied for at the upset price. A 

 deposit of 25 per cent, of such upset price is payable at the time of 

 application, the balance being payable on the terms fixed for the 

 auction sale. 



Purchases hij Virtue of Improvements on Gold-fields. 



The discovery of gold naturally attracts a large population to the 

 locality, and is frequently followed by the setting out of a town with 

 suburban and population limits. Under the provisions of the Mining 

 Act, persons are authorised to occupy small areas for residential or 

 business purposes ; and these areas they are permitted — under the 

 Crown Lands Act — to purchase in fee-simple by virtue of the improve- 

 ments. 



Application is made to the Local Crown Lands Agent with a 

 deposit of £1, and a survey fee of £1. 



The holders must be in residence on the land ; but the place of 

 residence, though it must be of substantial materials, need not exceed 

 a few pounds in value. Indeed, so far as the actual requirements of 

 the Land Act are concerned, it will be sufficient if the improvements 

 should be of the value of £8 per acre on town, and £2 10s. on other 

 lands. The purchasable areas cannot exceed \ acre of town lands, 

 or 1 acre of other lands. The value of the land is subject to appraise- 

 ment by the Local Laud Board, but cannot go below £8 per acre for 

 town land, and £2 10s. per acre for other lands, or for any block 

 containing less than 1 acre. The purchase money is payable withm 

 three months after notification in the Government Gazette that the 

 purchase has been approved. 



