WASTE LAND BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3556, 16 July 1874, Page 2

WASTE LAND BOARD.

[We continue our report of the business that was transacted at the meeting of the Waste Land Board yesterday.] Mr Saunders (of Barton and Saunders) applied, on. behalf of Messrs Taylor and Joan White, that the lease of run 324 should be issued to them. Approved if the papers were complete. Mr Langlands, of Geelong, wrote asking upon what conditions he could get a grant of 3,200 acres for the purpose of growing European flax. The Board resolved that he should be informed as to the cost of land here, and as to the other general conditions.

Mr Wright Lowe wrote objecting to the agricultural lease held by Mr James 1 steed ; also stating that it is becoming a practice to get leases exchanged without the necessary improvements having been effected. The letter was read.

Messrs J. B. Neal and John FJliott applied for permission to prospect for coal ou ten acre? of land at the Arrow. The Board resolved to grant only five acres, and not to interfere with the applicants prospecting. A letter was read from Messrs Harding and Co., agreeing to the conditions upon which the Board was willing to grant them a lease of land at Resolution Island. They stated that it was not their intention to cut timber for exportation.—The Chief Commissioner said the Board had no power to grant fishing rights.—lt was agreed that a draft of the lease should be prepared, and submitted to the Board for consideration.

The Provincial Secretary forwarded a memorandum of the Chief Surveyor, Mr M'Kerrow, in reference to the statements made at a former meeting of the Board, to the eftect that it would take three years to survey the land applied for in the Tuapeka district. The Chief Surveyor, in this memo., stated that the time which it would take to complete tho surveys in ihe Tuapeka district was very much < ver-estimated. The Oistrict Surveyor, Mr Adams, had reported that he could with the present staff complete the work in less than twelve months. There were at present about thirty applications, covering an area of about 17,000 acres ; of these sixty applications, covering 7,600 acres, were made in May last, and about 2,000 acres were applied for iu June. The balance of the applications were for the most part made in March or April. 3,500 acres were comprised in three large purchases. The delay was inseparable from the system of spatting surveys. It was quite im possible for the Government to survey each application when applied for, as they were scattered over a wide area. The Government had put an additional party of surveyors on the Tuapeka district about six weeks ago, under Mr Murray, who was now engaged in surveying, and would in the course of a month lessen the amount of the applications by about 3,000 acres. Mr Adams, who had been for the last two months engaged mapping, had now about linished, and would be in the field during the ensuing season. Every effort consistent with accuracy was made to push the work forward. The Board considered this statement satisfactory, and the letter was minuted.

Mr W. Cutten wrote givibg notice of his intention to appeal against the decision of the Board on hia appiication f..r land adjoining section 14, block V., Anderson’s Bay Bead.

Mr Carew, in reply to a circular sent him, requesting him to conserve scrub-covered laud from alienation under the Goldfields Regulations, or residence area certificate, pointed out that he, as District Baud Officer, had no jurisdiction in the case. Bead. Mr John boss wrote desiring to withdraw his application for sections 4 and 49, block 5, Waitahuna Bast, he having applied for the wrong land. Approved. Mr Webb, for Mess s Cotton and Henry applied to purchase section 13a, block 3* 1 uapeka East. It was resolved that the land should be sold, but a road which passed through it reserved.

The following applications were made to purchase land ia Waitahuna East-John boss, sections 99 and 100, block 5: John butherland, sections 41 and 44, block 10 • William Tremble, sections 43 and 54* block 5; Thomas bcott, section 44* block 10; J. Baffin, sections 41, 42, 69*, i oc k 5; John Scott, sections 27, 45, 46, block 10 ; George Milne, sections 51, 101, 104, 70 to 72, and 75; G. J. Squires, section 47, block 10 ; Thomas Redpath, section 103, block s.—The following applications tor land at Table Hill were made: William Sutherland, section 2, block 7; H. J. Miller, section 54, block 4; J. Waters, section 27, block 4 ; and section 24, block 5 ; J. Sutherland, section 4, block 11, and section 7, block 6.—The following applications were made at Tuapeka East J. Sutherland, section 27, block 6 • J Docherty and H. Galbraith, section 28, block 6.—Total applied for, about 7,000 acres.

Mr Gillies, who appeared for Mr Ross, said that his application was in precisely the same position as those of the Messrs Mil er and Thompson, only that the area applied for was only 140 acres, in Waitahuna hast. After some discussion, it was resolved that the whole of the applications should be referred to the District Land Uxhcer, with the view of his supplying the Hoard with a special report on each annlication. 1

Mr Doughty, for Mr A. J. Smyth, applied ■ni^ 6 plan of his application for a sawmill license at Mangatua approved, and the lease issued to him. Approved. The following applicants submitted, for the approval of the Hoard, plans of land applied tor by them, and a.ked that they might be declared the purchasers :—James Shand section 2, block 9, Mount Hyde; R. Robertson, section 1, block Id, Mauugatua; and J Preston, sections 3 and 4, block 11, Toitois’ Approved.

lhe following gentlemen were appointed to conduct laud sales :-Mr A, D. Harvey Roxburgh, Ettrick, and Black’s; Mr B It. Baird, at Cromwell j Mr A. R, Mackay, at Clyde; Mr Barron, at IMaaeby, Hyde, J&sss m, ’ a ,;reek; -

At the r e ) nest of the Superintendent, au r * s ituat ed on runs 137, 343, 346, 221, and -40, over which the leases were cancelled were withdrawn from sale. Certain lands situated in the following districts were also reserved at the request of the Government under section 350, Otago Waste Lauds Act, 1»72 : Tuapeka, Dnnback, Kaiwai, Heriot, Utana, Waipahi, Kuriwao, Puperau, Waikaka, Wmkoikoi, Waikaia, Spottis, and Dart Hundreds. All these lands had been

recommended by the Provincial Council to >;e opened for selection on deferred payments. J

Mr Comv 11. for Mr Walter Miller, applied for a license to occupy section 16, block 10, mil-end, under clause 169, for tree-planting, deferred to the Ranger for a report on the whole question.

Mr Roberts requested that two small bushes on run 213, Pock and Pillar Mountains, should be preserved from being cut, and that his manager should be authorised to prosecute any unlicensed woodcutters found doing so, under clause 164. Approved ot, and authority to issue in regard to the east Bush.