375 



A. Yes. 



Q. So that the lands the State might have purchased at that time 

 wouldn't belong to the State absolutely until the expiration of that 

 length of time? 



A. That is the way I understand it. 



Q. What is the net gain from May 18, 1886, up to January, 1891 ? 



A. Eighty-one thousand one hundred and forty-nine acres. 



Q. Tou speak of there being lessened by cancellations and redemp- 

 tions; will you state briefly to the committee how that redemption of 

 20,888 acres was brought about and also the cancellation of 24,472 ? 



A. It was brought about by the parties who had the right under 

 the law to do so; they redeemed the land. 



Q. What does that mean in ordinary language, that they redeemed 

 the land? 



A. Within the time specified by law they tendered the amount of 

 the tax and the land was turned over to them. 



Q. That is to say, the State does not take the absolute title when it 

 bids in at the tax sale, but there is a certain period which is allowed 

 within which the money may be paid in with certain percentage; is 

 that what it is? 



A. Yes, but the redemptions form one-tenth part of the loss of the 

 land; the greater part of this land was lost through what is termed 

 the cancellation; as I understand it the cancellation is distinct from 

 the redemption in this, that the Comptroller parts with the land, or 

 the State parts with the land on account of some error in the process 

 by which they acquired it, some error on the part of the assessor from 

 the fact that the land may have been assessed in the wrong town or 

 various ways in which an error may have been committed. 



Mr. Adams. — The tax is not a valid lien on the land ? 



A. That is as I understand it. 



Mr. Adams. — Anything shown in the Comptroller's office that the 

 tax was not a valid lien, he must cancel the tax certificate. 

 Mr. Anibal. — That is so. 



The Witness. — There were only 3,306 acres redeemed. 

 Q. As to these cancellations are they a matter with which the forest 

 commission has anything to dp under the statute ? 



A The attention of the commission was called to the fact that there 

 was so large a loss of land by cancellations and redemptions that they 

 asked permission to put in an appearance, or to be heard in each 

 application, and through the courtesy of the Comptroller, the office 

 has been notified where application was made for redemptions and 

 cancellations, and the attorney of the commission has appeared there 



