DEPARTMENT AND COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 561, 23 April 1913, Page 5

DEPARTMENT AND COUNCIL.

ASSISTING LOCAL BODIES. LAND OFFICE RETURNS. - At the last meeting of the Waitomo County Couucil a letter was read from the Whangamomona County Council With reference to the notification received from the Department of Lands intimating that the department did not in future intend to supply councils with the monthly schedules of lanas sold, transferred, forfeited or surrendered The Whangamomona Council passed the following resolution , on the subject, and requested the Waitomo Council to consider the advisability '* of passing a similar resolution:— "deferring to your letter of tha Bth " "uit., in which you advise this council that your department docs not in future"intend to furnish the monthly schedules of lands sold, etc., 1 am directed to inform you that this council greatly regrets the departments dftcision. These schedules have in the past supplied an important and reliable guide to the council's officers concerning the changes in occupancy and tenure made during the course of the year with respect to Crown lands and tenants, and" have thus enabled the said officers to promptly . alter and correct their rolls and records accordingly from time to time during the currency of each year, thus facilitating in a great degree the prompt collection of rates and despatch of communications as far as the holders of these lands are concerned. The council trusts that your department will reconsider its decision as information from private sources concerning the above matters generally arrives too late, when at all, to be of the greatest utility to local bodies. The clerk said the solicitors engaged in the transfer of. property were extremely lax in forwarding information as to transfers and the notification from the department was of great assistance. It was resolved that the resolution of the Whangamomona County Council be supported.