250
many
prior to which date it had been intimated that the terms and tenure were to depend solely on the pleasure of Her Majesty's Government.
Captain Elliot and M. Johnston disposed of One hundred and sixty lots of different classes, - of these, nine were voluntarily abandoned
by purchasers; ten have been resumed by Government, and thirty-four lots have been permitted to be retained by the present incumbents although the conditions of sale had not been strictly complied with.
The first sale of Land in this colony took place on the 14th June 1841, and it was on condition that an outlay of one thousand Dollars ($1,000) should be incurred within six months of the day of sale. I have no means of ascertaining how many persons failed in fulfilling this condition for although the prescribed outlay had been made when the Land Department rent was placed under my charge, on the 1st January 1843, it may not have been (and probably was not) incurred in all the instances within the six months, and the same remark applies to many of the earlier grants made by Mr. Johnston.
(Signed) A. T. Gordon, Land Officer.
(True Copy)
Richard Woosnam