WESTLAND WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1050, 7 December 1871, Page 2

WEST LAND WASTE LANDS BOARD.

A sitting of the Waste Lands Board was held on Tuesday, at the Land Office, Hokitika. Present — The Chief Commissioner* Mr Lahman, Mr Evans, and the Receiver of Land Revenue. * The following correspondence was read: — From the Town .Clerk of Greymouth, requesting the postponement of the sale of land in the Greymouth district, which, the Borough Council had requested to have vested in the Corporation as an endowment. The Chief Commissioner explained that the letter had been brought to' him after the last meeting of the Board, when it was too late to deal with the matter. From Mr Warden Revell, stating that a lead of gold had been found on reserves 24, 28, 47, and 49, outside the limits of the town of Greymouth, and continuing across Maryborough street, into the unsold sections within the Borough. Having no power himself to deal with reserves, he requested, if it was the intention of the Board to permit gold mining on the reserves mentioned, that instructions should be issued in respect to them. He further stated that applications had been made for extended claims on the reserves, the parties applying intending to bring in water-races to sluice the ground, which would occasion great injury to the reserves; He thought that as the ground could be worked in ordinary claims, permission to that extent might be granted, conditionally upon the parties making the surface ground good. The Chief Commissioner remarked that the Board had ho power whatever to deal with reserves, and all he could do in the matter, as Commissioner of Crown Lands, would be to order people off who were trespassing on the reserves. He could not give any permission for their occupation for mining purposes. From the Greymouth Jockey Club, stating that they had expended nearly L3OOO on the ground used as a racecourse, and bringing under the notice of the Board the necessity of vesting the ownership of the ground in the club. (The report does not show that anything was done. in the matter.) A petition from miners at Paroa, containing over a hundred signatures, was read, praying that the Board would not throw open for sale, and would abstain from granting agricultural leases, within a mile of the sea beach line. The petition also drew attention to the application of Patrick Kearns for land which was known to be auriferous. Messrs Hill and Hampton applied, through their agent, Mr Learmonth, for pasturage licenses for two runs of 600 acres each near the Salt Water Creek, Greymonth district. Granted, L2O rent paid. Patrick Kearns applied, through his agent, Mr Learmonth, that a block of rural land in the Greymouth district (since numbered No 71) be thrown open for sale. The Chief Surveyor stated that he had been over the ground, and there was nothing to preclude its being thrown open for sale. There were not even the slightest indications of gold-mining workings within ten chains of the block. The : miners who had petitioned really did not krow where the ground is situated. Mr Brown had seen a number of the complainants, and they had not the remotest idea where the land was. Mr Lahman thought that some consideration should be paid to the representations of miners. The same applicant had already been the cause of the miners having to pay a considerable amount for compensation. He should oppose the land being thrown open for sale. The Chief Commissioner said that five more chains could be reserved, making in all fifteen chains, on the west side of the block, so that there might be no danger, -however remote, of interfering with gold mining. Mr Lahman said he felt bound to oppose the declaring the ground open for, sale, whatever might be the conditions. The motion being put, declaring the land open for sale, Mr Lahman alone voted^againsfc it. It was ordered that the land be thrown open for sale, the block being numbered No. 71. W. J. Coat'es applied to purchase 30 acres of rural land in Block 1, Grey dis* trict. Granted, L3O paid. Andrew Souter applied, by his agent, Mr Lsarmonth, for a pasturage license for 800 acres of land on the summit of the Hohonu Range, between Rangiriri Creek and Lake JBrunner. Granted, Ll3 6a 8d rent, paid. Mr Harvey applied, on behalf of Mr W. H. Harrison, that the land occupied by Mr Harrison be classed as suburban, instead.of as town land. Mr Harvey entered into an explanation of the circumstances, on which, the. application was founded. A t the time, when Mr Harrisc •.? took up the piece of land in question it formed part of the town of Greymouth. Subsequently there was a proclamation gazetted, by which a portion of: the town was cut off, and Shakespeare street: with the road and Railway Reserve, declared to.be the boundary of the town in one direction. It had originally been intended to continue Shakespeare street round into Tainui street, thus cutting off from the town the land occupied by Mr Harrison. Mr Cooper informed Mr Harrison that such was the intention, and acting upon that information, Mr Harrison had built a house on the land. Since that, however, the surveyor had run Shakespeare street on the map straight on, thus bringing the land which Mr Harrison occupied into the town. A- tracing of a map so continuing Shakespeare street had been sent to Wellington, but he believed that there was no map in the office which bore out the tracing. Mr Harvey produced a letter written by Mr Cooper, in which it was stated that it was intended to continue Shakespeare street into Tainui street. Mr Lahman could not consent to a present being made to Mr Harrison, to the detriment of the town of Greymouth, Mr Harvey said that Mr Harrison did not ask for, and did not require any present, He claimed to have an equitable right, and he would take it on no other ground. Unless the Board believed that Mr Harrison was equitably entitled to what he asked, he would not take it. Mr Evans could not but believe that the land referred to was virtually in the town, and should remain so. The Chief Commissioner said that Mr Harrison had built upon the ground upon the faith of a representation made that it would be excluded from the town, and he had an equitable, right that, it should be'so de6lared by theßoard; MrLahman said he would not object to Mr Harrison laving the land as Buburban as a favor,

seeingthathe deserved something from the County, but he objected to the claim as a right. The Chief Commissioner said it was a pity Mr Lahman had not said so to Mr Harrison himself. He (Mr Lahman) had, on the contrary, expressed himself satisfied tha^ Mr Harmon , had an equitable., right in" the matter. Mr Lahman denied that ho had so- expressed 'himself. The Chief Commissioner said that Mr Lahman had waited iipon him together: with Mr Harrison, and had then, stated that he i was convinced thai Mr Harrison had an equitable right, and th^be.Wtyuld support a resolution to that effect at the next : meeting of the Board. Mr Lahman had i afterwards askedhim (the Chief Commissioner) to come over to his house and talk {the matter over. Mr Lahman maintained that the Chief Commissioner was mistaken. He (Mr Lahman) haa. never said he was satisfied that Mr Harrison had an equitable claim. He would, however, ■ support a motion which would give the : land to Mr Harrison in the way he wanted : it. At the same time, he feared that the Grey mouth Borough Council would be dissatisfied at the alteration made in the boundary of the town. Perhaps, how- > ever, as it was done for the sake of Mr Harrison, there would be nothing said about it. Mr Evans said he would like the matter postponed until next meeting, so that some inqitiry might be made. He knew of his own* knowledge that Mr Malcolm Fraser had distinctly stated that Shakespeare street was to be continued as now marked on the map, and not be turned round into Tainui street,, sp as to cut off the corner which included Mr Harrison's land. A long discussion ensued, and maps were . produced and fingered to support each view of the question. Ultimately, the Chief Commissioner mbved, and the Receiver of Land Revenue seconded — " That Shakespeare street be ; continued from ' the junction of Franklyn street into Tainui street." Mr Evans said, "No ;" Mr Lahman declined to say anything ' either way, and the motion was carried. Mr Harvey then put in an application, on behalf of Mr Harrison, for the block of land thus excluded from the township of Greymojith. The Chief. Surveyor brought under the notice cf the Board that there ; was an application inG the office from an occupant of a ..portion of the land, who '■■ had built a house, and desired to purchase ■ his ground as town land. The Chief; Commissioner said that before the land could be dealt with at ' all, it would be necessary that the Governor in Council should withdraw it from the town of Greymouth. Mr Lahraan advised Mr Harvey not to consider that his success was complete, as there would be no doubt something more heard on the subject before an ultimate decision would be arrived at. Mr E. Barnett applied, through his agent, Mr Learmonth, to have some land near Marsden, for which he holds an agricultural lease, thrown tip- for sale, to enable him to purchase the same. The report of the Chief Surveyor on the matter was that there were gold workings in the neighborhood, And the application was refused. William Fairhall, dairyman, Greymouth, applied that six sections of suburban land in Block No. 67, Greymouth district, be put up to auction. The sections comprised four of ten acres each, one of five acres, and one of seven. Granted, deposit L 26 paid.