WASTE LANDS BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5087, 13 July 1877, Page 2

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Waste Lands Board took place yesterday at noon. Present —The Chief Commissioner, Messrs. Bunny, Walter Johnston, and Mason. MINUTES. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. LANDS OPEN. The Chief Commissioner said in accordance with promise he had, at the suggestion of Mr. Mason, since last meeting, considered the question of affording greater publicity as to the land available in the provincial district. He had prepared a schedule of all lands open for sale, giving the upset price, and other information. He had written a title page, and sent the whole to the Government, with a request that it should be printed. He proposed to get 500 copies printed, a number of which would be distributed in the various athenamms, public libraries, and reading rooms. Persons wishing to obtain copies might do so on application. In the office a number would be kept, and these would be corrected up to date as sales went on. Mr. Mason expressed satisfaction at the course that had been adopted. APPLICATION FOB NATIVE RESERVES. The Chief Commissioner read an abstract of certain correspondence which had passed between Mr. Tolhurst and himself in respect of 310 acres in the Eangitikei District, which the former wished to purchase. Mr. Tolhurst had been informed that the land applied for was a native reserve, but he had persisted in his application, believing the land was available.

The matter was left over till next meeting to enable Mr. Tolhurst to support his application if he chose to do so.

THE MASTEHTON SHALL FARMS ASSOCIATION. Mr. G. Beetham, M.H.K., attended on behalf of this body to prefer fresh terms. He had on previous occasions gone so fully into what appeared to him to be the merits of the question, that he should now content himself by merely reading the following memorandum of terms submitted to the Waste Lands Board by the Masterton Small Barm Association :—. 1. That a block of land known as the Makahaka block should be set apart for the purposes of the Mastertos Small Barm Association, subject to the following conditions: — 2. That the, price parable for the above land should bo thirty shillings (305.) per acre, payment to extend over the period of ten years in equal annual instalments. 3. That such land should be intersected with blocks set apart for sale by cash payments, in the proportion of one cash payment block between each and every of the two blocks set apart for sale on deferred payments (one third portion for cash sale). 4. That a block of not less than two hundred acres should be set apart for a township at a site hereafter to be agreed upon. That the association should purchase the site of the township for cash, the necessary surveys to be made by the Board. 5. That the "Waste Lands Board should make due provisions within the boundaries of the blocks for the necessary reserves for recreation, cemeteries, educational, and other purposes. 6. That one third part of the money received as instalments by the Waste Lands Board should be returned to the properly constituted authority having charge of the roads of the district, for the purpose of forming and maintaining the roads within the boundaries of the block.

7. That not less than five per centum of the land held under the above conditions be cleared and cultivated annually.

8.. That the extent of the blocks should be a matter for future arrangement between the Board and the Association.

Mr. Johnston said if these were the only terms the association had to offer, he saw no reason whatever for rescinding the previous resolution, refusing to treat the association in an exceptional manner. The conditions of residence had been carefully left out, and the price they offered was too low, and beyond all that, they asked the Board to appropriate the revenue of the colony, a power it did not possess. la the interest of settlement, such propositions should be refused. If the association wanted the land, let them compete for it at public auction, on the same terms as other settlers. Mr. Beethaji remarked with reference to the point as to the appropriation of the revenues of the colony, that he had found some difficulty,in drafting the clause. There had seemed to he a wish that the association should make roads, and the easiest way appeared to be that they should pay an extra price, conditionally that the extra money were returned for road making purposes. Mr, Bunny expressed disappointment at the proposals of the association. They appeared' to wish to drive a very one-sided bargain. The block was the most valuable in the district, yet they wanted it at 30s. per acre, payment to be extended over ten years.

Mr. Mason also strongly opposed agreement with the proposition.

After some further conversation the Board declined unanimously to cancel the previous resolution refusing to accede to the request of the association.

EOAD LINES. Mr- Mason inquired of the chief surveyor (Mr. Jackson) respecting the mode of selecting roads in new country. Mr.. Jackson said the department always, endeavored to lay out the most practicable, roads, but frequently difficulties arose owing .to persons having selected before roads were laid out. The plan now adopted was to lay out roads first and select the land afterwards., Xu answer to a question from Mr. Johnston, Mr. Jackson said he’ had been arranging necessary preliminaries for the past week or two, but tenders for the survey between Waikanae and Upper Hutt would be out immediately; - - The Board then adjourned.