WHEREAS by sections ten and eleven of “The Railways Construction Act, 1878,” certain lands described in the Second Schedule to that Act were authorised to be sold as Crown lands of special value, and it was directed that the moneys received from every such sale should be paid into a separate account in the Public Account to the credit of the Public Works Fund: And whereas by section three of “The New Zealand State Forests Act Amendment Act, 1888,” it was among other things enacted that any unexercised land-order issued under “The Forest Trees Planting Encouragement Act Amendment Act, 1872,” might, under certain conditions, be exercisable at any time on or before the last day of December, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety, in the purchase of Crown lands, whether town, suburban, or rural land, in any part of the colony:

And whereas, in breach of the above-mentioned conditions, in the months of January and March, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety, land-orders to the amount of three thousand three hundred and seventy-one pounds nineteen shillings and sixpence (£3,371 19s. 6d.) were accepted by the Receiver of Land Revenue in payment for the purchase of some of the aforesaid lands, and the Public Works Fund has not been credited with the aforesaid amount, and it is expedient that a refund thereof should be made as hereinafter provided: