WASTE LAND BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3384, 24 December 1873, Page 2

WASTE LAND BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of the Board was held to-day, to-morrow being Christmas Day, present—The Chief Commissioner and Messrs Bastings, Butterworth, Clark, and Reid. The chief business transacted was the following The resolution of the Government, that that portion of the Traquair Hundred in run 57 be not withdrawn from sale, was brought before the Board and the land declared open for sale. Mr Harris repeated his formal application, on behalf of Mr Shan I, saying that the latter was willing to allow Mr Barraclough to take the quantity of land be applied for.— Mr Bastings said that the Government had declared the land open, and Mr Harris was informed that Mr Shaud was entitled to taka up ail he had applied for, with the exception of Mr Bairaclough’s application, which would be submitted to auction. Messrs Campbell, Richardson, and others pointed out the unsuitability of the proposed reserve for water supply for Dunedin, and urged the granting of their applieatious made eighteen mouths ago to purchase the land. The Board decided net to interfere with its former decision. The objections to the sale of section 2, block 4, Waipori, to Mr James Wright, were considered. Mr Hrrris said that Mr Wright had been in possession of the land since 1869, and always paid his rent, and had laid out L 125 on it. After the usual three years* term he applied to purchase, and the Warden said there was no objection put in. The O.P.Q. Co, had lodged an objection, but withdrew it, and Mr Wright sent a draft for L4l in payment for the land to the Receiver of Lartu Uevenutj, who returned it f saying the Board had refused to sanction the sale. —Mr .Scout, for the 0. P.Q. Co., asked for an adjournment, as the question had been fixed to c.«ue off on January 8 ; however, the case might be commenced and then adjourned. The O. P. Q. Co. had laid out over JL6,UOU on their claim, and if this land were sold, they would nave no outlet for their tailings. It would be monstrous for the Board, lor the sake of putting L4l into the Treasury, to reader the expenditure of : 6,000 useless. — Mr Bastings said the matter would be best arranged between the parties. -The Chief Commissioner stated that on the goldfields the gold mining interest mnst be paramount. —Mr Wright said he did not think the reef ran in the direction of this land.—The case was adjourned to January 8, but Mr Harris afterwards returned, and said that the matter had been arranged sc that the O. P. Q„ Co. should use the gully on the land for their tail-race, ayid was therefore settled. Mr Bastmgs said lie saw that the Board h,ad withdrawn the land, sections 1 to 6*. Glenkenich, from application, and that the Government wished the Board to. reconsider that decision anxious tfcu i«m4

should be open.—The Chief Commissioner aa d the danger was that the first step might bring down an injunction on them.-Mr Bastings replied that d the runholders went to extremes, Government would do so like wise, and the injunction could he tested.— It was decided to re advertise the sections as open for application.