WASTE LAND BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3283, 28 August 1873, Page 2

WASTE LAND BOARD.

Two matters of more than ordinary interest were brought before the Waste Land Board at its meeting to-day. In tho first, a very important point was raised by Mr Howorth, who, on behalf of Mr M ‘Kane, applied that the latter should bo declared the purchaser of some 465 acres in the Otakia district. In respect of ISO acres of this land Messrs Meek had previously applied for ISO acres at 10s an acre, the whole of the land having been declared open for sale at that price. M‘KanI*, 1 *, however, put in his application for the 450 acres at a pound an acre, but it was refused by the Ghief Commissioner, on the ground of Meek’s prior application. Mr Howorth contended that the Chief Commissioner’s decision could not be upheld, on two grounds : first, that there being only one applicant at twenty shillings an acre, M'Kaue was entitled to be declared the purchaser, and de facto was snch; second, that there really was no land open for sale at ten shillings an acre. Greater stress was laid upon the second contention, which was consequently gone into more fully. It was contended that the power to declare land open for sale at ten shillings was given to the Board, under resolutions made under the Laud Act of 1866 by the Provincial Council of 1868 ; that those resolutions were repealed by the Land Act of 1872 ; and the rcniissness of the Provincial Council to reenact similar resolutions during the late session rendered it ultra vires to eell any lands at 10s. It was further contended that Mr M‘Kane’3 application being the only one at 20s before the Board, as Meek’s would be informal if the contention before mentioned were upheld, it must as a matter of course be granted. The force of the second objection was admitted by the Board, and Mr Bastings explained that the reason why the Government did not ask the Provincial Council to re-enact the resolution of 1868, was that it was not their policy to sell land at 10s an acre. They considered that any land, if it was worth having, was worth 20s, As to the other point, the Board considered that, as an act of justice. Meek should have a chance of purchasing the land lie applied for ; and it was agreed to obtain the Superintendent’s sanction to withdrawing the land from sale, with a view to its be ng submitted to auction. Mr M‘Kane’s application was accordingly refused, and Mr Howorth intimated his intenfion of appealing.—Mr E. Conk, on behalf of Captain M'Kcnzie, renewed his application to the Board to concur in stating a case for the Supreme Court on the Board’s decision in March last, refusing to declare the Captain the purchaser of 4,375 acres thrown open for sale in run 168, Glenkenich, such land having been withdrawn from sale by the Superintendent, The Board declined to do so, the opinion of the Chief Commissioner and other members being that the public interest demanded that there should be the fullest possible investigation of the matter by the Supreme Court, which could not be obtained by merely stating a case.