LAND BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2211, 15 October 1907, Page 1

LAND BOARD.

A sitting of the H.B. Laud Board was held at tho Gisborne Lands Olnco yostorday. Present: Alessis H. Trent (Commisionor of Crown Lands, chairman! Hvdo, Groomo, and Bartram. EXEMPTION FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES. Harry Harding, lessee of sections 4 and 2, blocks I and 13. Uiuva and Tokomaru districts, wired asking for exemption from residence for two years, in order to have Ins children educated. Tho ranger reported that tho best part of tho tenants time was spent on tlio property—l lio Commissioner said that ho saw no objection to tho application, as similar concessions had been granted in other cases. — NUHAKA NORIH TENANTS. Tho postmaster at Nuiiaka North notifiod that tho following tenants aro residing oil their sections, viz : Tamo Mete and others, section d, block TO, Opoiti; Tcoitr Mete, section 10, block 13. Nuhaka North. —Received’as satisfactory. ' TINIROTO VILLAGE. Tho ranger, Air. Simson, reported upon forfeited section 69, Tiniroto village, recommending that it be withdrawn from tho Villago Settlement Act, and offered under trio optional system. Ho stated that tho land was poor, no one would reside on the seotion, and if offered under tho optional system some tenant would take it up and clear it of noxious weeds.—On Air. Groomo’s motion, it was decided to withdraw tho section from the provisions of the Homostead Settlement Act. and let it under the optional system. TIAIBER CUTTING-. Alessrs Chrisp and Coleman, oil behalf of Thos. Hollywood, wrote with reference to cutting timber on pastoral run .48, Hangaroa. Air. Broderick, District Land Officer, recommended that the posts required by the lessee for fencing, bo allowed to be retained free of charge but tho others should be sold on bohalf of tho Crown. . Tho Ranger, who made a similar recommendation, rejiorted that the lessee had cut 1500 posts whilst Air. Alurphy, a freeholder adjoining, had gone on to the lessee’s property and cut 900 posts for the erection of a dividing fence, but Air. Hollywood had disallowed him to remove them. Air. T. Alston Coleman, addressing tho Board, pointed out that Air. Hollywood was in the unfortunate position of being unable to procure timber, as the spot was almost inaccessible. He had cut tho timber in ignorance of the provisions. Tho Comissioner said that it was an illegal act, but under the circumstances ho might be allowed to use tho posts on payment of tho usual royalty. He would also have to arrange with Air. Murphy, under tho Fencing Act. It would bo necessary to proceed against tho latter for trespassing on Crown land. In reply to a question tho Ranger said the timber had not been cut on tho fencing lino. There could not have been any misunderstanding on that point. Air. Coleman said ho was assured it had been dono .by Air. Murphy’s men in ignorance of the fact that it was breaking tho law. Tho Commissioner replied that this case could be dealt with separately from the present application. Air. Groome moved to the effect that the lessee be charged the usual royalty, and be allowed to use the posts for fencing on the section. In regard to a suggestion by Air. Coleman that the lessee be allowed to cut any additional posts ho might require in the future, the Commissioner pointed out this could only be done, by separate application, which would have to bo reported on in due coui'se by tho Ranger. The Department had to seo that bush reserved for milling purposes was not wilfully destroyed, and a precedent allowing tenants to cut timber must not be established. The Board did not wish to deal harshly with the lessee. Air. Bartram expressed tho opinion that it was unfair a Crown tenant should not bo allowed sufficient timber for fencing. The lease expired in four years in this case, and the improvements went with it. The Commissioner said such an application could only be granted under special conditions. The decision to charge royalty was carried, on the easting vote of the Commissioner.

A further application was made by Mr. Coleman, that in view of the license to occupy expiring on March Ist, 1911, tlio lessee he granted compensation for improvements of a permanent nature and that a renewal be granted. The Commissioner, after discussion, gave the assurance that ,so far as the Act would permit tlio lessee’s rights would bo preserved, but the land would have to be put up to competition in the usual way.

NON-COMPLIANCE DECISIONS.^ Re Eda Hollywood, run No. 65, Hangaroa, non-residence, Mr. Coleman explained that the road to tlie section was almost impassable. Further, the lessee’s residence had been practically destroyed during a heavy snowstorm. Sho was residing with her husband, 'within 10 miles of the section, and had men employed there. Tlio Commissioner, whilst against too ready exemption, thought tlio state.of the roads a valid excuse until conditions improved. The Board would not sanction non-compliance with residence, except whero personal hardship could be proved.—Twelve months’ exemption granted, on the understanding that the conditions must be complied with. , ! B. H. Aislabie. section 73, Hangaroa village, non-residence.—Mr. Coleman stated that the lessee was inconvenienced owing to an extensive papa slip. An application for transfer to a neighbor would probably be luado later.—Exemption granted in the meantime. J. M. Taylor, section 4, block 17, Nuliaka North, uou-residouco. —Lessee appeared in person, and explained that lie was residing on leased Maori land adjoining j his own section had no road access whatever. The Ranger corroborated his statement.—Tlio Commissioner said that the Board would grant exemption until reasonable road access was provided. They did not expect a tenant to do anything impossible, but once a pack track was made lessee would have to go on the section. o J. D. Burgess, lot 2, run 26, llangaroa.—Lessee intimated that he was residing within two miles. In consequence of the dangorous state or the road he applied for twelve mouths exemption.—Application granted. Jas. Coombe, junior, section 37, block 15, Hangaroa. sub-leasing w J licit permission,—Tne B"ai . received no reply from the lessee, who ■will bo required to furnish ail explanation by next meeting.

NEW APPLICATION. AViliam McCormack applied to take up sections 32 to 35, Hangaroa village, under o.r.p. conditions—l ho Board approved of section 3o being taken, and will recommend tho others for the Alinister’s approval.

TRANSFER AIATTERS. Some discussion took place regarding tho application of V. A. Pyko tor transfer of section 1, block 13, Motu, to A. J. Simson. Air. J. W. Nolan appeared on behalf of both paities. I-le stated that Air. Pyko took up the section in 1905, with the intention .of placing his son upon it. . The latter’s health subsequently improved, and ho decided not to go on the land. Tho lessco then, without profit, as a friendly act handed it over to tho soil of the Crown Lands Ranger, a young man of 22. An application made to the Board for a transfer was not entertained until a survey had been made, which was not until a year after the section had been taken up. A further application was adjourned pending a report on the first year’s report, and a later one for a further report regarding the second year. This was a liardshij), but tho second year’s report was now forthcoming. Air. Nolan submitted that Air. Simson, junior, was a suitable tenant, and that all conditions would bo complied with in tho transfer. The Commissioner pointed out that the Board had only recognised Air. Pyko in the matter. Until he could show the conditions regarding improvenient had been carried out, a transfer had been withheld. Air. Nolan said tho improvements had been carried out by Air. Simson, so that tho conditions wore fulfilled. Tho Commissioner said ho regretted Air. Simson had appeared so prominently in tho matter. Until the present Air. Simson, whom the Board could not recognize in the application, had been tho only person who had appeared before the Board. However, everything was now in order, and he could seo no objection to tho transfer being granted.—Transfer approved. REAIISSION OF RENT REFUSED. An application under the Bush and Swamp Act, 1903, for tho remission of four years’ rent on tho same section was refused, on the casting vote of the Commissioner. Tho latter said that tho Board had discretionary power, but should be consistent in its actions, other cases having been similarly dealt with. He thought it should be made known that the Board was against such remissions, and that it was no use tenants making .such applications in future.—Alembers concurred. A AIOTU TRANSFER.

The Board approved of the transfer of section 4, block 14, Alotu S.D., from X. F. Lynch to J. AlcLeod and H. S. Briant.

Following upon tho Board’s decision, Air. Nolan withdrew an application by AlcLeod and Briant for remission of rent. FORFEITURE RESCINDED. Air. Groomo moved that the resolution of forfeiture, dated September 13tli, respecting section 7, block 8, Ruataniwlia, held by S. Carr, be rescinded.—Agreed to. A FENCING AIATTER. R. Sherratt, on behalf of his son, P. H. Sherratt, lessee of run 77, Ngatapa, asked permission to lease 50 acres, portion of an adjoining timber reserve, for a convenient fencing lino, the present boundary being inaccessible.—The Commissioner, after the fencing difficulty had been explained, said it would mean troublesome procedure to take portion of a reserve, but there could bo no objection to the fence being erected and the land cleared as there was no timber of any value on it. The bush on the reserve must be guarded from injury.—Application adjourned in order to procure a report from the Ranger.

A WASHAWAY. Mr. T. Kane, one of the settlers at Tile Willows, appeared and explained the disability under which he labored owing to portion of his section having been washed away or rendered useless by the late flood. Ho was still required to pay rental on the original area, which he considered unfair. He asked whether the Board had power to i-educe the area appearing in the lease. The Commissioner said that lie had received a letter from the Undersecretary on the subject, who advised that there was no provision made for meeting such a case. There was no power to reduce the area by the acreage demolished through the flood, nor to reduce the rental originally fixed. The rental had been determined by the value paid for the. estate, the sub-divisions being required to bring in a certain fixed revenue. There were difficulties ill the way, but the Board would look further into the matter.

MOANUI BLOCK. Mr. Bartram made reference to the opening-up of the Moanui block in the Motn district, expressing the opinion that the areas proposed, three of 4000 acres and one of 2000 acres, were too large for grazing runs when Crown land was so scarce. For this class of bush land he considered 1500acre blocks would be sufficient., and asked whether it was too late to effect an alteration. The District Land Officer (Mr. Brodrick) said official reports were to the effect that it was impracticable to cut the land into smaller areas. The matter had been decided before he came to Gisborne.

Mr. J. Roddick, the surveyor, was called. He explained that the method of sub-division adopted was the qnly possible way of roading the block. In his opinion smaller areas wero quite out of the question.' The block comprised all high country, and could only bo got at through tho streams. Tho gorges wero very steep, and many of the faces were covered with birch. Mr. Bartram reiterated that 4000acre blocks seemed over-large. The Board wanted to encourage settlement as much as possible. ( Mr. Itoddick said ,it was no uso providing small areas when the Department- could not dispose of them owing to the inaccessible nature ol' the country. Tho Commissioner said tho block comprised 14,500 acres for selection. It was 40 miles distant from To Karaka. The Government had decided that roading was necessary before the land was thrown open. This had led to delay, but the grant was now passed, and would be available shortly.

UNAUTHORISED OCCUPATION. The Ranger reported that A. W . Miller had been in occupation ot section 152, Patutahi, . without the Board’s "consent. —The nominal lessee is to be called upon for an explanation.