Because of the fact that many ancient surveys of land, fairly made, have not, by reason of the neglect of officers or because of some casualty, been put on record, or, if recorded, the record has been destroyed by fire or lost, by reason whereof, and because of the natural decay of marked lines and corners, the ancient metes and bounds cannot, except by testimony and reputation, be clearly ascertained, and it has been found, on running the lines of many of such surveys, that they include more land or extend farther than their strict length of chain, large measures having been formerly allowed, even by the proprietors, as an encouragement to locations, thus making it possible for persons other than the owners and possessors of the lands included in such surveys to take advantage of such own
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Because of the fact that many ancient surveys of land, fairly made, have not, by reason of the neglect of officers or because of some casualty, been put on record, or, if recorded, the record has been destroyed by fire or lost, by reason whereof, and because of the natural decay of marked lines and corners, the ancient metes and bounds cannot, except by testimony and reputation, be clearly ascertained, and it has been found, on running the lines of many of such surveys, that they include more land or extend farther than their strict length of chain, large measures having been formerly allowed, even by the proprietors, as an encouragement to locations, thus making it possible for persons other than the owners and possessors of the lands included in such surveys to take advantage of such owners and possessors (who, supposing their titles to be indefeasible, have not resurveyed, covered and secured the lands included in their surveys), by confining their holdings to the net length of chain, thereby making vacancies of valuable improved parts, upon some of which buildings have been erected, and such persons, on causing surveys to be made of such overplus, have procured or may procure such overplus surveys to pass the council of proprietors, without legal preference or due notice to the owners and possessors of the lands covered by the ancient surveys, no such newly-made partial survey, lying within the council of proprietors, or which may be returned to the council, or made on any lands, improved or unimproved, within what has been usually taken and deemed to be the ancient reputed boundary of such lands, shall be recorded or be of any avail to any person so surveying, unless it shall be made to appear, by the testimony of at least two good and sufficient witnesses, that the possessor, holding such lands by survey, deed or otherwise, has been duly notified, at least six months previous to the making of such survey, of the intention to make the same, and has refused or neglected to resurvey and cover such overplus lands. L.1951, First Sp.Sess., c. 352, p. 1464, s. 2.