WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 263, 21 March 1874, Page 1 (Supplement)

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

The ordinary weekly meeting of the Board took place last week. There wore | present:—The "Chief Commissioner (in the chair), Messrs. Butfcerworth, Reid, Strode, and. Bastings. Defebeed Payments.—Captain P. W. Mackenzie applied, in terms of sections 98 and 99, Waste Lauds Act, 1872, to the Board to agree as to the amount of compensation which should be paid him for lands en his run 165, disposed ef . dor section 47 : vide resolution of Provincial Council, July 23, 1873, and ' Provincial Government Gazette, 1 December 17, 1873. Captain i Mackenzie explained that he had agreed to give up S,OQQ acres, in terms 0 of a covenant. The Provincial Council afterwards determined to dispose of a certain portion under the deferred payments system; but he had never contemplated that the Government would refuse to pay him for land taken under that system. He did not now ask the Board, the Government, or anybody else for money; but merely that the Board should state what they considered would be a fair value of the land. He did not object to the land ibsing disposed of in the way proposed, if the. Provincial Council wished it, but considered that he ought to be allowed the same compensation as had been given to everybody else. There would be some 1,500 or l,boo acres.—Mr. Bastings : But when the Government let you have that land it was contemplated to take the block referred to. —Captain Mackenzie: jS~evor without payment. —Mr. Bastings : When you got the 1,800 acres at £1 per acre, without competition, the Government considered you were not entitled to compensation.—Captain Mackenzie : That was certainly not my feeling in • I>.« mat*™ VTV - co.vr»i- tl„f

if tlie occupation of these blocks by settlers rested with the squatters, there would not be much, chance of many settlers remaining. The Government in thatrespect are thwarted at almost everv step. —Captain Mackenzie: You cannot say that I do that.—Mr. Bastings : Well, all I know is this, that when you got tins 1,800 acres the Government considered a thorough settlement had been effected so far as the transaction of your land was concerned; and if the matter has not been reduced to writing, the arrangement was certainly made is good faith. Mr. Strode suggested that a statement of all the circumstances should be drawn up, and the matter referred to the Provincial Solicitor—The Chief Commissioner said that, as there had been an understanding between the applicant and the Government, he did not think the Board should interfere. —Captain Mackenzie: If the Board will not agree with ine as to what I should get, will they name an arbitrator ?—Mr. Strode expressed the opinion that the matter was one for the Board, and not fot uho dUI L .jO dCu.i. W It'll. -LliS-'J should obtain advice from the law officer. —lt was finally determined that the matter should be referred to that officer. The Provincial Solicitor. —Messrs. Howorth and Sodgkins requested isfcrmaticn 33 to the Provincial Solicitor, since Mr. Turton's resignation.—lt was resoled that the matter involved should be referred to Mr. Haggitt. Tokomaibieo.—The Committee of the Tokomairiro Athenaeum made an application respecting Crown grants for their e£ido?7iJic£T v having had -an offer for leasing it.—The Board expressed ths opinion, that the 161 st section would not answer the ends sought. Compensation. The Secretary for Lands forwarded a memorandum requesting the Waste Land Board to take such steps as might be necessary to secure to Mr. Bremner that portion of section 7, block XXXVII.,. Tokomairiro District, which the Government agreed to purchase for him in part compensation for deviation of road.—lt was agreed that the land should be sold as of special value, having *been so long withheld from sale; to be sold at £1 per acre ; notice to be given to the Secretary of Lands a3 to the time of sale.

Feeehold. —The application of Mr. George Kirk to purchase the freehold of his agricultural lease, section 4, block XL, Skipper's Creek district, was refused. Waikouaiti. An application was made by Mr. W. St. P. Gellibrand, to purchase sections 66 and 67, block 1., Waikouaiti district. Application refused.

Hent. —Captain Mackenzie asked the Board to make and allow a reduction of rent from date of sale, in terms of covenant, on run 168.—Referred to the Government.

The Board adjourned for a week.— ' Guardian.'