State ex rel. Horan v. Savidge

Citations

• 79 Wash. 479
• 140 P. 559

Syllabus

<p>Public Lands — Disposal of State Lands — Oyster Lands — Cancellation of Deed — Powers of Commissioner. Under Rem. & Bal. Code, § 6804, authorizing the' commissioner of public lands to cancel a state deed of oyster lands, if the lands be used for .other purposes than the cultivation of oysters, the commissioner has no authority to cancel a deed upon a showing that the purchaser has failed to use the lands for the cultivation of oysters; since the power is special and its exercise limited to one cause.</p> <p>Same — Power of Commissioner — Statute—Construction. The rule that all grants from- the state shall be strictly construed against the grantee has no application to. the construction of the statutory power conferred upon the commissioner of public lands by Rem. & Bal. Code,’§ 6804, to cancel an oyster land deed for a specified cause.</p>