VACANT MINING LANDS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4380, 20 February 1922, Page 4

VACANT MINING LANDS.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. REPRESENTATIONS TO DEPARTMENT. INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE. , The vacant blackberry-covered land in the mining areas in this district is causing a good deal of concern', and with a view to having them occupied the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce took the matter tip some time ago. The following is a copy of correspondence on the subject, as read out at the last meeting of the Chamber. The first letter is from the president of the Chamber (Mr E. W. Por-r ritt) to the Commissioner of Crown Lauds (Mr H. M. Skeet) : BLACKBERRY PEST. Tn reply to your letter of November 7 last, 3/29, I am directed to inform you that there are areas of land in the vicinity of the townships of Waihi,' Waitekauri, Karangahake, Mackaytown,- and Komata which were formerly laid off for the purpose of residence site sections and special 1 sites under the Mining Act. These areas have been, either surrendered or abandoned by the former owners, or forfeited for non l occupation, and have become unoccupied Crown lands. In very many cases they have become overrun ' with blackberries These blackberries are a nuisance to the owners of adjoining lands, as seeds carried by birds and other causes are spreading the nuisance on to such adjoining, lands. ' Further, these blackberry infested sections are becoming a menace to tne fertile lands in the Thames Valley, as the seeds are by the rains carried into the streams and watercourses and lodged upon the banks lower down, and when freshes, occur, the. seeds are carried over the low-dying, lands. Th'e Chamber, is informed that the Crown Lands Board will give. a temporary title to such lands, to be terminated without compensation if the lands are at any time required for occupation for purposes under. the Mining Acts. While not in any way desiring to pu< an obstacle in the way of such lands being so utilised when required, the Chamber is of the opinion that such

a policy is not conducive to the bene-, fit of the district. Some of the sections have been unoccupied for many years and the prospect of their being required for mining occupancy appears to be remote. The temporary tenancy from the Crown Lands Board is unpopular and unacceptable, as the cost of eradicating the blackberry will in seme cases exceed the freehold value of the land, and as an “Occupier” the'lessees from the Board are liable under the “Noxious Weeds Act” to this heavy cost, and are entitled co nothing for their labour and cost if their tenancies are cancelled.' The Chamber is of the opinion that adjoining owners should be encouraged to take up these vacant areas and inducements held out to them to clear the areas df the pest, either by giving them the use of the lands rent free and making provision for compensation if they are resumed, or by giving permanent titles with a proviso that they can be resumed .on payment of compensation for improvements or by some other provision that will make it worth a person’s while to root out the pest and prevent it spreading to other lands, and to localities far dis-' tant. If this cannot be done and the lands must be kept as “tapu land” for prob; lematiea! future occupation under the Mining Act, then the Chamber is of the opinion that' the Crown should take effective steps to clear the pest' off its own land which is so reserved from profitable present occupation. The position is one that should be faced at once and dealt with promptly, for as the years go on the menace will become greater, and the difficulty of coping with it will be greatly increased.

An Inspection by the Board’s rangers and the Inspector of Mines might result in a number of the areas being thrown open on a permanent instead of a temporary tenure, and on any lands*decided on as necessary to be reserved for purppses of the Mining Act the Mines Department should be asked to undertake to clear the blackberry and keep the lands, clear, so ns not to be a detriment to Crown tenants and owners of private lands. I have gone rather fully into the matter in this reply, in order that you may be made conversant with the state of affairs as it appears to thpfce living in the district, and on 'whose behalf the Chamber communicated with you previously. • "SYMPATHETIC CONSIDERATION.” The Commissioner of-Crown Lands replied in the first instance as follows : “I have to acknowledge the receipt

1 of your letter of the 7th instant in re- ' gard to the above matter, and in reply have to inform* you that I am communicating with the Warden o.i the subject, with a view co such action being taken by both. Departments as may be found necessaty and possible under the circumstances, and I desire to assure you that any arrangements that can be made wP' certainly have the sympathetic con-; sideration of the Land Board, which fully appreciates the seriousness of the position set forth in your letteii QUESTION OF TENURE, In a further letter the Commissioner wrote as follows : 1 “Referring to your letter of the 7th ■ultimo, I Jiave to inform you that I have been communicating with the Warden with a view to seeing whether some suitable arrangements could be devised for dealing with the lands referred to, and securing the mitigation of the blackberry pest. "The Warden advises me that, in view of the future possibilities of the mining industry in the localities referred to, he cannot see his way to agree to the disposal 'of the lands upon any form of tenure which would Involve the granting of the right co obtain the ’freehold., “While this department recognises that, in the case of lands requiring considerable expenditure, either upon the eradication of noxious weeds or otherwise, the temporary tenancy referred to in your- letter is generally regarded as unsatisfactory, inasmuch as it offers insufficient security, It appears to be the only form of tenure undqr which such lands could now be 1 dealt with, in view of the objections ' of the Warden to any iforrii of tenure which would carry with it the right of freehold, “As regards the temporary tenancy, your chamber is no doubt aware that, i under the provisions of the Land Act, the maximum period that can be I granted is five years, but that at any | time during that period the license i may be Terminated in the event of | the land being otherwise required by | the Crown. While the Land Board gives no guarantee that such right I would not be Exercised by the Crown, , the practice is that termination is l only enforced .when rendered neces- , sary by public requirements, or , breach of „the conditions of occupa- , tion, and that tlie tenant has security , of tenure as against other persons who might seek to acquire- a similar tenure. No compensation is prbvidi , ed ifor in respect of improveShents effected, but the Land Board raises no

objection to the removal of such improvements as buildings or fencing (other than boundary fencing) upon the termination of the tenancy, provided that the conditions of occupation have been satisfactorily fulfilled. As regards the condition of the lands in respect to the blackberry, the Land Board would ,no doubt give lull consideration to this factor in determining the rents to be paid. “I shall be glad if your chamber will consider the matter and furnish .me with any further suggestions they may wish to make. Possibly you may think it worth while to confer with the Warden on the subject. “I would add that I feel sure that the Land Board will be prepared to give the fullest and most favourable consideration possible to any practici able arrangements for securing the occupation of the lands and the eradication of the blackberry pest, provided that this can be done with the concurrence of the mining authorities. —H- M. Skeet, Commissioner of Crown Lands. CHAMBER DISCUSSION. Mr D. Leach (vice-president) said the mining rental whs too high... If the sum fixed was purely nominal, on condition that the noxious weeds were removed, there would be more inducement for people to take up vacant sections. The president ■ (Mr E. W. Porritt) explained that the problem had been solved to some extent in the Waihi district, where lands outside a certain prescribed area were obtainable under the Land Act. THE REAL TROUBLE. Mr Porritt explained that the real trouble was that the people were not offered any compensation for the eradication of blackberries. He thought a conference with the Warden would be advisable. Mr J. L. Hanna moved that the Oliinemuri County Council, be conn municated with, and that the Chamber set up a subcommittee of three to work with a similar committee on the County Council in evolving a scheme for submissipn to the Lands Department, and that such sub committee be instructed to endeavour to arrange for a conference with the Warden.—Carried. The president and Messrs D. Leach and J. L. Hanna were appointed. Kenny declined appointment, but- offered assistance should it be required-