WOODY KNOLL BUSH.

Evening Star, Issue 3597, 2 September 1874, Page 3

WOODY KNOLL BUSH.

The intervention of the General Government appears to have quieted the scruples of the Southland Waste Lands Board with respect to the granting of Mr Thomas Brown’s application for a sawmill license at Woody Knoll, Winton ; but, judging from the subjoined copy of a protest handed in to the Board at a recent sitting, it seems that he is still made the subject of exceptional treatment. On this point, however, our readers will be quite able to judge for themselves. The document runs as follows:—“lnvercargill, 17lli August, 1874—T0 the Commissieners of the Waste Lands Board, Invercargill— Gentlemen, —I observe by the newspapers that there is an application for a sawmill license upon the remainder of the Forest Reserve, near Woody Knoll, outside of my grant. Now, I would respectfully submit—lst. That when I applied it was explained to me that the Board desired to reserve a portion of this forest land for settlers; otherwise .it was competent for me to ha ve applied for the whole reserve, as its entire area does not exceed many of the grants for sawmills already made by the Board. In this instance, my moderation in applying for a reduced area appeal's to be made available by another applicant to start a rival mill upon land that otherwise should have belonged to me. 2nd. That it has been the practice of the Board to refuse to grant a sawmill license too near one already in existence. For instance, the Board respected the objections made to the application of Mr John M*Leau, in Seaward Bush, on 13th September, 1872, which was made to stand off one mile from previous sites granted. Also, when Messrs Brown and Ross’s application was before the Board (sth September, 1873) it ruled that the application should stand off sixty chains from that of Messrs M Galium and Co., notwithstanding that Messrs M'Callum and Go. had already secured their full area. 3rd. That my application should be finally determined before another upon adjacent land should be received, I remain, gentlemen, yours truly, Thomas Brown.”