19
Canoes,
me
of such
from singular peculiar difficulty, that I must trouble Your Lordship with rather full details, which will, however, fortunately disclose a settlement of the whole case).
2. In the earlier days of the Colony, Mr. Sharp speculated very largely in land - laying out more than $20,000 in premia for lots for which he has paid about $60,000 in Crown Rent. Further, in making the requisite improvements such as roads, retaining wall &c., he states that he has expended $46,889. This large outlay has been wholly unremunerative, and Mr Sharp at the present time is quite unable to meet his engagements.
3. A certain number of years ago Mr. Sharp's Crown Rent fell into arrear, and on his urgent representations the Government gave him time to recover himself, not wishing to press unduly on one who had already laid out so much on Colonial lands. Various schemes were suggested by Mr Sharp, with a view to his being allowed to retain possession of his lots on paying interest on his arrears, but they all fell through, and in January last I was obliged to fix a date - the 31st March last - as the last day on which I could...