a—B

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8. The Commissioner shall provide sufficient balls, all of one size and colour, equal to the total number of applications for the-eeetie»-appliod-for, each grade, and on each of such balls he shall cause to be legibly printed or written eae of-tho rotation numboro-aforooftidj-bttt-ae-feat-Be-twe-kaHe-Aatl-boar tho one number. The figures on the balls shall have a line drawn horizontally under them to show which is the right side up. 4. At the time fixed for the ballot the Commissioner of Crown Lands, or officer appointed by him, shall read over each name on the list aforesaid with its rotation number, and, as each name and number is read over, the ball bearing the corresponding rotation number shall be deposited in the ballot-box. 5. The ballot-box shall then be securely closed and thoroughly shaken up and turned, and the drawing shall then take place in the presence of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, or the officer appointed by him to superintend such drawing, and the person whose rotation number appears on the ball first drawn from the ballot-box shall be declared by tho Commiooionor or other officer to bo tho Duoeoooful applicant, requested to choose his section; the box is again closed and shaken up and turned, and another ball is drawn, and the person whose number it corresponds with shall make the second choice ; and the ballot goes on in a similar way till the sections are all disposed of. 6. Immediately upon the successful applicant being declared he shall pay to the Eeceiver of Land Bevenue the deposit, purchase-money, rent, or other moneys required by law in respect of the land applied for; and should such applicant or his representative not make the said payments as required by law, then a fresh ballot in the manner before provided shall be taken between the other applicants without delay. Or, should there be only one remaining applicant, he shall be declared successful, subject to the said payments being made as aforesaid. As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this thirteenth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six. John McKenzib, Minister of Lands. N.B. —If the grade system is not approved of, there is no reason why the choice system should not be.

Suggestions bespecting Land Applications foe all Systems, and the Pboposed Mode ot DEALING WITH THE SAME. By W. G. EuNCIE, AuDITOB OF LAND EeVENUE. 1. All applications received from and after the date of the opening of any land to the day preceding the ballot shall be considered as having been received at the same time, and shall be given a number in the order of their receipt, such number becoming the ballot number. 2. Applicants shall, in the proper place on application form, state how many previous times they have unsuccessfully applied for a section in this land district. 3. In applying, an applicant has only to state that he applies to have his name included in the ballot for sections that takes place on the day of , 190 . Does not require to state his section. 4. Deposits with application not compulsory. 5. Every applicant who has not paid a deposit shall make a declaration on his application agreeing to pay, upon his being declared successful at the ballot, the amount of the deposit required, together with one guinea for lease and registration fee. 6. If the required deposit of any applicant whose number is drawn from the ballot-box is not at once paid, the Commissioner of Crown Lands or his appointee shall proceed to draw a fresh number from the ballot-box till the person whose number is drawn complies with the conditions of sale. 7. The deposit so paid shall be used for the payment of the first half-year's rent thereon in advance, computed from the Ist day of January or the Ist day of July, as the case may be, first following the date of the ballot, or in the case of small grazing-runs from the Ist March or the Ist September, as the case may be. 8. If an applicant cannot attend personally or by agent on the day of ballot he can be allowed to declare his choice of section and pay the necessary deposit equal in amount to one half-year's rent and lease fee, and if unsuccessful the deposit made shall be returned in full as early as possible. 9. In the place where the ballot is to be held there shall be posted in a prominent position in legible figures and letters the number and name of each applicant. 10. Before the ballot takes place the Commissioner of Crown Lands shall cause to be graded and classed all applications according to the number of times they have unsuccessfully applied in the Land District: — (1.) Those who are applying for the first time. (2.) Those who are applying for the second time, and who were unsuccessful at the first ballot. (3.) Those who are applying for the third time, and who have previously been twice unsuccessful. (4.) Those who are applying for the fourth time, and have previously been unsuccessful three times. There shall be certain priority of right as regards the ballot which shall be as follows:— 1. Those applicants who have applied the same and the greatest number of times unsuccessfully shall ballot together, and be called the first ballot. The name first drawn shall have the choice of the sections in the block, the second name drawn the second choice, &c, always provided that the applicants are approved persons.