Land Board Inquiry.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 50, 27 August 1895, Page 2

Land Board Inquiry.

The inquiry into the transfer of sections in Mat ton No. 1 Association was continued before the Laud Board yesterday. Present •• Mr H. J. Baker (Commissioner) in the chair, and Messis \V. A. Fitzbcrbcrt, T. W. Fisher, and Fred Piram, i1. 11.1t. Mr FullertouSmith appeared for the Board, and Mr Esam for members of the Association. The evidence in the cases partly heard on Saturday was concluded and evidence in regard to the followiug sections taken .-—Section 27, Block IV, H. Ilazell : section 2, Block I, "W. Beatsou ; section 29, Block IV, A. Leicester, section 3, Block I, A. J. Shaw. Generally speaking the evidence was the same in c-J) cases. The original seloctiors bad sold their interests shortly after the ballot for sums ranging from i.'sO to £100, and to secure the purchasers had given mortgages for the amounts with further advances added, but had not applied for the sanction of the Land Board to the mortgages. In each case the secretary of the Association, Mr Harris, had conducted the sales, and received large sums as commission, and advised the parties as to the best method to be adopted to evade the provisions in regard to transfer. The case next taken was that concerning the sections of Hazel's, Leicester's and Beatson's. W. L. Bailey stated that his sou W. L. took up section No. 2 (Beatson's) ; A. K. took up section No. 27 (Hazel's) ; and S. H. No. 29 (Leicester's). Heard first about these sections in October iroin Harris (by letter), and afterwards forwarded cheque for .£ls0 — that was ±'50 on each section, and understood the purchase was absolute conditionally on the Board's sanction to a transfer. The mortgage was taken to protect hiniKelf. His sons went up to the section and employed five men to fell the bush, they being aware they could not occupy the laud until the transfer was granted by the Board. No commission was charged by Harris, but witness left him a cheque for three guineas. Expected eventually the boys would obtain the transfers. Witness here handed in statement, showing that L 123 17s had been spent on Beatson's section ; L66 19s 6d on Hazell's ; and LB2 on Leicester's, those amounts being for bush-felling and grass seed sowing. At the conclusion of the evidence, the Board adjourned till Thursday next. — Mercury.