WASTE LAND BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3339, 1 November 1873, Page 2

WASTE LAND BOARD.

The usual meeting of the Hoard was held on Thursday afternoon, the following members being- present :-The Chief Commissioner (in the chair), Messrs Hastings, Butterworth, Clark, John Reid, and Strode. Messrs Gillies and Street, on behalf of Messrs Horton ami M'Master, applied _ for leave to withdraw their present application for a preemptive right near Maerewlienua, and to apply for the same area in another’ part of their run. The application was agreed to, three months hein"- given in order to enable the parties to apply for another site for the exercise of their pre-emptive right. Mr Thomas Hunter applied to purchase section 2 of Id, block I, Utakia, a bush reserve twice offered for sale by auction—once on the l!)th March, 1868, when it was sold at 25s and forfeited, and offered afterwards, in June, 1868, at 255, but no bid was given. It was decided that the land should he sold_ as of special value, having been so long withheld from sale —upset price, 21s per acre, Messrs M'Lean, Tolmic, and M‘Lachlan applied for a coal lease of fifteen acres on run 257. Before incurring any expense, the applicants asked the following questions (1) If fifteen acres would be _ granted ? (2) _ What price they would be limited to for delivciing coal at the pit mouth V The following minute was recorded“ The Hoard can only grant a tenure under the 161st clause at LI per annum. Price at pit mouth, 17s per ton. License to be granted—ruuholder’s consent being first obtained.” A report was received from Warden .Simpson on the following applications to purchase Joseph Tamblyn ... section 35, block 11., Teviot John Tamblyn ... ~ 36 » » James Tamblyn ~ 37 ~ >. M. E. Manuel ... ~ 3!) A ~ Wesleyan Church ~ 39 ~ „ It was resolved that the first four sections should be sold at L 3 per acre ; section 31) not to Applications were received from Mr H. Broad to purchase section 10, block 11., Teviot; and John Martin, to purchase section 11, block 11., Teviot; with the consent of the runholdcr. It’was resolved that the applicants should advertise the matter for one month, and if there be no objection, the land to be solely at L 3 per acre, and surveyed at the applicants’ expense. A fortnight ago an application was received on behalf of Mr A. J. Smyth, for a sawmill license at Catliu’s River. The matter was adjourned for a week, in order that a report might l)e received from the Ranger. In the meantime, however, an application was sent in by Mi W. Guthrie (of Messrs Guthrie and Asher) for the purchase of the laud for which Mr Smyth applied for a license. When the applications came before the Hoard at its last weeks meeting the Chief Commissioner expressed the opinion that the Hoard was bound by the Act to sell the laud to the man who first applied to purchase. Mr Guthrie’s application to purchase would therefore pvpr-ride Air Smyth’s application for a license, although tl)e latter had been put in a week previously. The members of the Hoard looked upon this state of affairs as very unsatisfactory, and ultimately resolved to postpone their decision for another week, I he two applications now came on for consideration. Mr Haggitt supported the application, which Mr Gillies opposed on behalf of Mr Guthrie, After argument, the Hoard decided that the land should be sold.-Mr Haggitt requested that the reasons for their decision should be niiiuitcci, but the Chief C declined to accede to the request. The following letter was forwarded by the Provincial Government for the consideration of the Hoard: “Colonial Secretary s Office. “ Wellington, October 15, 1873, “ His Honor the Ruperintedent of Otago. “Bir,-i have the honor to inform you that the following report was brought up by the Committee on Colonial Industries and adopted by the House of Representatives during the recent session of parliament, viz. ; ‘That the Government should invite the various Provincial Governments to consider how best to prevent the waateful destruction of the forests of the (’olony, and to supply statistics and recommendations for the consideration of Parliament.’ I should, therefore, feel obliged if your Honor would be good enough to furnish me with suggestions and recommendations, with regard to the Province t»f Gtago, in order that a report may be compiled fur presentation to Parliament next session.—l have, “ llANiim Pou.cn, ‘‘ Colonial Secretary. ” Air Strode was of opinion that the only way to save the bush from wasteful destruction was to sell the laud as speedily as possible. Air Clark thought it was evident that the plan adopted some time ago of leasing the bush upon the condition that the parties should plant the laud with forest trees as they cut down the timber, had failed completely. Air Hastings said the reason was because the laud had not been taken up for the purpose stated. . . The Chief Commissioner was of opinion that to save the forests one of the most rigorous systems possible would be required one that no Colonial Government could carry out. Air Clark thought the Waste Land Hoard had acted wrongly in granting so many saw-mill licenses. There were small patches of bush all over the country that would be of great value to the settlers { but they were now being completely cut down and destroyed for the public works that were being carried out. He would be inclined to suggest that the Government should offer a prize for the best pamphlet on the subject. The Chief Commissioner thought that if such a prize were offered they would be flooded with

useless projects of all kinds. They must not ignore the fact that by planting they could grow a blue gum fifty feet high in ten years. He thought the new system adopted by the Government of giving lit for every acre of private land planted with forest trees, would prove vary beneficial. LlO an acre would not be too much. Mr Strode said it was terrible to witness the destruction of the forests going on at present. Wherever the saw-mills had been at work, the ground was covered with the decaying tops of trees, while all the good timber had disap('lark instanced several bushes that might supply the surrounding districts for twenty-five years, but wherever the saw-mills set to work" there was not a good tree left standing. , . It was resolved that the various Rangers should be requested to furnish reports upon the forests in their districts ; a schedule of questions to be drawn up by the Chief Commissioner. . , , , . , A petition was received froin certain settlers atMataura Bridge, requesting"that the sale of the mill-site ou the east side of the Mataura should be burdened with the condition that a mill of the value of LI,OOO should be erected. The reception of the petition was merely The Government requested that the Board should revise, alter, or add to a case to be submitted to Messrs Haggitt and Barton for their opinion on Captain M'Kenzio’s application for land in block 111, Glenkonich. The Chief Commissioner said he had looked over the case, and found the facts were accurately stated. He thought, however, that the issues were not correct,"and he had drawn up fresh ones. It was resolved that the issues suggested by the Chief {Commissioner should be substituted. The Town Clerk of Queenstown wrote to the Board requesting that the District Land Officer should furnish the Council with a copy of all the correspondence in Mr Robertson’s waterrace case. Also that the Board should cause a thorough investigation to be made as to the charges against the members of the Council contained °in a letter written by Mr Turtou, which was read before the Board some weeks ago. A letter on the subject was received from Mr Barton, solicitor to the Corporation. It was resolved that the matter should be postponed till the Board received the District Land Officer’s report. Mr James Smith’s application to purchase part of block 1., Waitahuua West, was taken into consideration. It was resolved that a strip of land should be sold to Mr Smith—as giving the best boundary—at Til per acre. Survey showing the water-races to be made at Mr Smith’s expense—Mr Bastiugs’s dissent from this decision was recorded. Mr Eweii Cameron applied to purchase sections III), 10, and 1 of 42, block 11., lable Hill ; and Mr James Sutherland, to purchase 400 acres of unsurveyod laud in block VI., lable Hill. Applications refused. Mr P. Stanley applied to purchase section 22, Block XIX., held under an agricultural lease. Approved. M r James Paher applied to have the water shed of the Verfccr Burn, in the Traquair Hundred reserved from sale for gold mining. The matter was referred to the Government for a report.