WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 151, 1 June 1877, Page 5

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

The weekly meeting of the Board was held on Wednesday. Present: The Chief Commissioner, Messrs Bastings, Clark, Strode, and Green.

Mr A. Reid asked to abandon the purchase of ' deferred payment section 48, block 6, Glenkenich, and for refund of deposit. Granted.

Ranger Hughan reported on the applications made for land under the Forest Tree Planting Encouragement Act :—Section 49, block I, Warepa, occupied by Mr Young, had been partly fenced in, and about 4000 trees had been planted, of which number about a third had died out. Mr Young had a large stock of young trees on hand ready to plant out at the proper season. — It was resolved, as suggested by the Ranger, that Mr Young be recommended to adopt some regular system of planting. Ranger Hughan also reported that section 15, block X, Hillend district, was occupied by Mr Walter Miller, but no fencing, ploughing, planting had been done.

Ranger Hughan reported on Mr Hugh Begg's application for a lease of deferred payment sections 44, 45. and part of 43, block 111, Glenkenich, under section 54 of the Act of 1872.— Approved. Messrs Connell and Moodie, for Messrs Herbert, Howat, and Co., applied for a saw-mill license of 160 acres, more or less, east of the adjoining sections 68, 69, 70, 71, and 73, block XI, Glenkenich. Referred to the Ranger for report as to the state of the bush in question, the Chief Commissioner reporting that the Board must be careful in dealing with the Native bush, or tliey might be undoing the steps Government are taking to preserve it. THE RUNS. The Chief Surveyor reported as follows on Runs 52b and 52c : — " Herewith I beg to hand you tracings of Runs 52b and 52c, the leases of which expire on July 10, 1878. These runs adjoin Run 51, already disposed of by the Board by re-leasing. They are somewhat rougher in character, and the soil is inferior to that of Run 51. I consider them to be fair pastoral country, in some places well grassed ; and I would suggest that they be cut up together into small runs for re-leasing. A small portion—2so acres — is being surveyed at present for settlement on Run 52, and must be reserved. The divisions will thus be : —Run 52—7,750 acres ; settlement land on Run 52—250 acres ; Run 52b— 11,250 acres ; Run 52c — 7,450 acres ; Run 52d— 10,275 acres; total, 36,775 acres.— W. Arthur, Chief Surveyor." The Chief Commissioner said these runs were situated near the Waitahuna river, and the present leaseholders were Messrs C umine and Low. The Board would notice by the Chief Surveyor's plan that regard had been had to existing fences and the natural boundaries, so that the runs could be cut up advantageously and be occupied without much expenditure in fencing. The land was purely pastoral in its nature, being cold and bleak ; but a small portion of it, called the Waitahuna depasturing district, was good, and this was being surveyed with a view of throwing it open for sale. It was agreed to notify to the present lessees that it is not the intention of the Board to re-lease the runs. The Chief Surveyor reported on Run 74 as follows ; — " Herewith I beg to hand you tracing of Run 74, the lease of which expires on July 6, 1878. This run is situated on the south side of the Wyndham River, and adjoins land surveyed and sold in the Wyndham district some time ago. The total area is 5,000 acres, whereof 2,300 is land suitable for settlement by sale in large sections ; the balance of 2,700 is all bush. The whole of this run is within an Educational Endowment. — W. Arthur." The Board resolved that the Governor be recommended to proclaim Run 74 open j for lease in terms of the Act of 1872. I A telegram as follows was read from Mr T. W. Hislop, M.H.R. for Waitaki :— " I have been requested to acquaint you that a petition is in circulation asking that when the present leases expire the various runs may be cut up for settlement. The petition was printed in yesterday's North <*tago Times. lam informed that in order to give effect to the petition relative to Runs 17 and 28, it will be necessaiy to give notice of non-intention to renew almost immediately. The petitioners desire the Board's attention to the matter to-day. Oamaru, May 30." The Chief Commissioner said the papers were not ready to-day, but they would be next week. He knew there was not much time to spare. — The telegram was minuted as tead.^-Evening Star.