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Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1. The Short Title of this Act shall be "The Crown
Lands Sale Act, 1877."
2. This Act shall come into operation on the first day
Date when Act to como into operation
of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
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3. In the interpretation of this Act the following words and expressions shall have the meanings hereby assigned to them, unless there be something in the context repug-nant thereto:—
"Land district" has the same meaning as is given to that expression in "The Waste Lands Administration Act, 1876," or in "The Land Act, 1877."
"Town land," "village land," "suburban land," "rural land," mean respectively lands included within the meaning of these expressions under the law in force in any land district in respect of which such expressions are used.
"Free selection" means any purchase of Crown lands in any land district not at public auction.
Price of Crown lands fixed.
4. From and after the coming into operation of this Act, and until further provision is made for the classification of Crown lands by the General Assembly, all Crown lands shall be sold in accordance with the law in force in the land district where such lands are situated, but not in any case at a less price than two pounds per acre, if by free selection; and in the event of any land having to be sold at auction after application to purchase, then the upset price at which such land shall be put up to auction shall be at such price per acre as the Waste Lands Board may determine, not being less than the price at which the land was open for application.
Provided always that whenever Crown lands in any land district are sold or disposed of by public auction, the upset price shall not be less than one pound per acre; and
Provided further that after lands have been put up to auction at a price of not less than one pound per acre, the said land may, by Proclamation of the Governor, be opened to free selection at a price of not less than one pound per acre.
Price of land may be increased in certain cases.
5. The Waste Lands Board in any land district may increase the upset price of Crown lands that may be deemed lands of special value from situation or quality, and such power may be so exercised from time to time as occasion shall require.
Deferred-pay-ment land not to be sold below £1 per acre.
6. No Crown lands of any kind may be sold or disposed of under any Act of the General Assembly, or any regulations, or other law authorising the sale and disposition of such lands upon deferred payments, or in any other man-
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ner for which money is to he paid whether by way of rent or other periodical payment, at a less upset price than one pound per acre.
But nothing herein contained shall he deemed to interfere with the bonâ fide letting or other disposal of any mineral, agricultural, or other lands under any such Act, regulations, or law under which the lessee or licensee is not to become the ultimate owner of the land in fee, nor with any laws or regulations for the time being in force upon any gold field authorizing the lease or disposal of Crown lands in such gold fields.
7. Nothing in this Act contained shall prejudice or
Contracts may be completed.
affect any contract or agreement for the sale, purchase, or other disposition of any Crown lands in any land district lawfully made, entered into, or commenced before the coming into operation of this Act; but every such contract or agreement may be completed, carried out, and enforced as if this Act had not been passed.
8. Every Act of the General Assembly, and every
Repeal of inconsistent provisions.
regulation or other authority which may be in force at the time of the coming into operation of this Act, is hereby repealed in so far as the same may be inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.
9. All lands in any land district in hundreds already
Lands in land district in hundreds proclaimed may be sold by auction.
proclaimed or hereafter to be proclaimed may be sold by public auction.
10. The period during which volunteer scrip may be
Period for exercising volunteer scrip extended for one year.
exercised under "The Volunteers and others Land Act, 1877," shall be extended by one year : Provided that the said scrip is actually held by the Volunteers to whom the said scrip was issued.
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ner for which money is to he paid whether by way of rent or other periodical payment, at a less upset price than one pound per acre.