WASTE LAND BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 4119, 10 May 1876, Page 2

WASTE LAND BOARD.

The Board’s weekly meeting this morning was attended by the Chief Commissioner (in the chair), Messrs Strode, Clark, Reid, But terworth, and Bastings, and the following business was transacted:—

The District Land Office, Invercargill, asked instructions with regard to appucations by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company for pre-emptive right of 64 acres on Run No. 74.—Pre emptive right has lapsed. The Kakanui Road Board lodged objections to the application by Thomas Everitt for the purchase or lease of land near Kakanui township being granted.—Noted. H. M. Morgan stated that in cutting timber at aikawa for fencing he mistook section 14 B 1 for 24, over which he had authority from the owner to cut, and requested the Board to look over the offence. —head, and to be referred to the Ranger. Messrs R. Creagh and Company applied for a lease of block 2, Sandspit, Waikouaiti river, for the purpose of landing goods in connection with their shipping service.— Postponed. Application to purchase, at LI per acre, by Matilda Anderson, section 8, block 20, Tuapeka East.—Approved. James Bowie, on behalf of Miss May Thom, stated that her application for section 3, block 1, Waikaka district, was refused on the 24th ult., although another application was received for the said land on that date. Miss Thom’s application having been tendered at the Dunedin office it is now to be accepted as having been received. Andrew Afflick applied to be allowed to purchase part of the Hawksbury Bush Reserve, section 60, block 5. Refused; Govern ment to be asked to sectiouise the whole re* serve for sale.

Letter from Macassey and Kettle with reference to the assignment of part of run 362 from Messrs Kich, Stewart, and M'Kenzie, and Messrs Sanders to Messrs Sntton Bros.; also memo, from the Provincial Solicitor, with reference to the transfer. New lease to be issued.

Applications to purchase under agricultural lease were made as under :—Alexander Sutherland, section 26; T. W. Kempthorne, section 23; John Davie, section 16; J. W. Smith, section 27 ; Jas. T. Mackerras, section 14 and 18; Robert Burns, section 15 ; Edward Campbell, sections 21, 25, and 31; Jno. Mitchell, section 24; T. S. Graham, section 28; Robt. Short, section 17; Jas. Smith, section 20; W. P. Gellibrand, section 19; all in block 3, North Harborandßlueskin district. —Mr Reid explained the circumstances under which this land had been taken up under agricultural lease. In 1869, when there was great depression, men clamored for employment, and it was represented by some that if they could get a bit of land on deferred payments they would be able to make a living out of it. Thus it was thrown open under the Goldfields Act, but he did not think it was considered there was any gold on the land. Afterwards the men found that it would be too costly to get on to this land. It was afterwards taken up with the view of piospecting for shale. If these applications were refused now, the position of the leaseholders wouldnot bealtered.— Mr Strode did not see how the price could be charged.—Mr Reid : They can hold for four years longer, within which they r were allowed to fence, which "will be a compliance with the terms of the Act. —Mr Bastings had known of refusals to allow to purchase land

held under agricultural lease on gold* fields, because the terms of the Act had not been complied with, and he did not think any distinction should be drawn between the land at Wwaalfiti and the cases of struggling men he had referred to.—Mr Strode: I think the applications must be refused; we cannot malra flesh of the one and fowl of the other.—Mr Eempthorne replied that it was heavy bush land, which could hardly be got into, and to fence which would ciet i 10 an acre; that LIBO had been spent in clearing his own section. -Mr Strode : It is clear one of two things must be done: either one-eighth of the area must be cultivated, or one-half of the area must be substantially fenced.—Mr Kempthorne admitted the land was neither fenced nor cultivated. It would be a waste of money to fence. It was decided that the conditions of the leases not having been complied with, the Board could not approve of the purchases. Messrs Gillies, Street, and Hislop applied on behalf of Aitken and Cameron, to lease 10,000 acres lying to the west of Howldk’s Lake, and 4,000 acres further west. Application recorded, but sketches of country to be supplied that will satisfy the Ohief Surveyor that the country has been actually visited and sketched on the spot. Stewart and Doughty applied for transfer of a saw mill lease area at Waipori Bush from Mr John Lawson to S. O’Kane, and that the lease after survey be issued to the latter. Lease to issue in the name of O’Kane; twelve months’ extension granted as the mill was burnt down.