State Ex Rel. Shell Petroleum Corp. v. Worden

BRICE, Justice.

This is an original proceeding, permitted because of great public interest in the questions involved, praying that a writ of mandamus issue requiring the respondent, as Commissioner of Public Lands of the State of New Mexico, to accept a rental of $40 tendered him by relator, as advance rental on an assignment of a portion of a certain oil and gas lease; and to otherwise recognize said assignment. An alternative writ was waived, and respondent filed his return, stating that he had refused to accept the rental because the lease had expired. The case is before us on the…