WARDEN'S COURT, HOKITIKA

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1921, Page 2

WARDEN'S COURT, HOKITIKA

TUESDAY, JAN. 18th

(Before Warden Orr-Walker)

GREAT WESTERN TIMBER COY.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES FORFEITED. The following applications and suits were dealt with this morning, in connection with the areas held by Messrs Dale, Wilson and Hullett, on behalf oi the proposed Great Western ’ Timber Coy Ltd., which was in progress of incorporation for the purpose of working extensive timber areas in the vicinity of Okarito and Big Wanganui river, South Westland. The applications for protection were originally set down for hearing at the Okarito court and were removed to Christchurch for the purpose of obtaining the evidence of Messrs W. H. Robinson, A- C. Hullett, F. E. Hale and others. It will be remembered that when the applications came on for hearing at Christchurch none of the witnesses were tendered and the applications were consequently remitted back to the West Coast for final hearing. In the meantime suits for cancellation of all the areas affected by the applications for protection were lodged on behalf of the Crown.

To-day the hearing was taken, the suits and applications being as follows :

J. Park, Crown Solicitor on behalf of His Majesty the King, (Mr Murdoch), v. Alfred C. Hullett, of Chrstchurch, for cancellation of special site 661, Okarito and costs. Same v. John H. Wilson of Hokitika, for cancellation of sawmill area 650 and timber reservations 653 and 654 and costs. Same v. Frederick E. Hale, of Christchurch for cancellation of sawmill license 657 and timber reservations 658 and 659 and costs. Same v. Alfred C. Hullett of Christchurch, cancellation of sawmill aroas 646 and 645, timber areas 643, 644, 647, and 648 and costs. J. H. Wilson (Mr Wells) certificate of protection of sawmill licenses 649, 650 at Okarito. A. C. Hullett (Mr Wells) certificate of protection of sawmill licenses 645 and 646 at Okarito. F. E. Hale (Mr Wells) certificate of protection of sawmill license 657, at Okarito. Objections to the foregoing three applications for protection were lodged by the Crown.

Mr J. A. Murdoch appeared for the Crown and explained that this morning he had received notice that the holders of the areas did not intend to defend the suits or proceed with the applications for protection, in which case he would ask for forfeiture of the whole of the areas amounting to ten thousand acres in the aggregate Mr Wells on behalf of all the defendants consented ‘to this epurse being adopted. Formal evidence was then tendered by the Crown, the only witness being William L. Fleming, Crown Lands Ranger for the Westland district who stated that he was familiar with the whole of tho areas and special sites registered in the names of the defendants in South Westland. He was able to depose that the areas had been abandoned and no sawmill had been erected upon either of the sawmill licensed In answer to Mr Wells, he stated that he understood considerable sums of money had been spent in taking up the areas issuing a prospectus and obtaining the report of Mr J. Blair Mason, the well-known marine engineer- who visited Okarito for the purpose...

The Warden .then entered up a decree of forfeiture of all the areas, licenses to be cancelled, and remarked that such cancellation had the effect of terminating the whole of the existing title s and at the same time had the further effect of rendering the land included in those titles together with the lumber' standing thereon provisional state forests to he administered no longer by the Wardens’ Court, but bv the officers of the new State Forestry Department.

On the application of Mr Murdoch, costs were allowed, as agreed to, against the defendants’ amounting to £33 Os 4d.