SOTHLAND LAND BOARD

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 23

SOTHLAND LAND BOARD

The monthly meeting, he.d on Thursday, 28th February, was attended by the Commissioner and Messrs A. Kinross and James King. — Correspondence. — The Under-Secretary of Lands, re control of river-bank (road) reserves', in reply to a question by the Land Board, "Can Land j Board grant grazing licenses from year to I year over reserves aJong rivers, however such reserves may be coloured on the siirvey j maps," wrote, inter alia, that "it is clearly I within the power of the Land Board to grant temporary grazing licenses over river bank reserves coloured as reads, until the local authority wishes to effect any read forma- [ tion thereon." — Received. Applications were made By James Millar and Thomas Paterson for grazing rights over roads along river banks in blocks I, XIV, and XV, Forest Hill Hundred.— A report from the ranger to be obtained. The Commissioner and the members of the Land Board, reporting on the inspection of unsold lands and reserves at Orepuki township applied foi by Messrs J. T. Jarvis and Win. Hirst, were of opinion that Mr Hirst had been in illegal occupation for 'some years, and had no claim for pieferenoe in the present applications; that had he been occupying under yearly lease he would have been paying at least £10 per annum, and would have had no right to cultivate nor to cut and Eell flax thereon ; that Mr Hirst's statements regarding the planting and sowing of marrarm grass and seed were not borne out by the evidence, nor had a new fence been erected all round the area as stated by him ; that it would be dealing generously with Mr Hirst if he were charged rent from June 30, 1899, to June 30, 1908, at the late of £5 per annum, but that he be allowed up to the latter date to remov* his crops, but that in consideration of £5 per annum instead of £10 rent being charged, that all other improvements be left intact and become the property of the Crown. They recommended that notice be giv-en to Mr Hirst that, unless the rent be first paid up to 30th June, he would not be allowed to remove hie crop; and, further, that, seeing there is now no necessity for a township reserve in that place, that the land is rural, and that during the last eight years there has been no proof either of the land being auriferous, or of any part thereof being required as an out-let to auriferous ground, the land should be open for selection as a renewable lease section. In view of such dealing withithe land, the applications of both parties should be refused. — Resolved that the report be adopted, subject to an extension of six months from, the SOtih June, 1908, being granted to Mr Hirst at the same rent. The present road through the land to be left for public uee. The Secretary of the Southland Education Board applied for the reservation for school sites of the following sections: — 14 and 15, block V, Pukerau S.D. (2 acres) ; 8, 9, and 10, block Till, town of ■Waifcaia. (3 acres) ; 28, block XXV, town of East Gore (5 acres) ; 16, block XVII, Longwood S.D. (10 acres); 18, block V, Longwood S.D. (10 acres); 22, block 111, Waikawa S.D. (10 acres) ; 17, block I, Paterson S.D. (12 acres) ; 10, block H, a^d 26, block 111, town of Kingston (quarter-acre). — Resolved that the sections be reserved for school sites. Rev. Thomas Tait, on behalf of the Merivale Church Committee, applied to purchase four acres adjoining church site of one acre purchased out of the deiry factory reserve, Merivale, under eection 64 of "l!ie Land for Settlements Consolidated Act, 1900," and its amendments. — Resolved that the Minister of Lands be recommended to approve of the sale of the additional four acres asked for. F. J. Dyer lodged a declaration in connection with the sale of pastoral run Ko. 532, Centre Hill district, and requested the Land Board to recommend the Hon. Minister of Lands to approve of his holding more than one pastoral run (section 54, "L.L. Amendment Act, 1907").— T0 recommend the Minister to approve, as the land is very poor, and Dyer is the present lessee. Fred. L. Donkin, licensee of pastoral runs Nos. 413 and 463 (grouped), 10,950 acres, requested permission, in pursuance of section 55, subsection (d), of tlie L.L. Amendment Act of 1907, to surface-sow the run. — To recommend the Minister to consent. Hanger Campbell, reporting on the application of Frederick Perry fOT sections 13 and 14, Barkly Village, at present held by Mr David M^Kenzie, stated that Mr M'Kenzie has made no use of the sections since his last report in 1906. The sawmill had been idle for years, and these sections were not required in connection with it. He recommended granting Mr Perry's application for the land as a sawmill site.— Reeolved that Mr M'Kenzie be called upon to show cause why his license should not be cancelled at next meeting of the board. Messrs M'Callum and Co. wrote abandoning all claim to S.M. area No. 497, blocks XI and XII, MftEon S.D., Stewart Is.and.— Abandonment accepted. Thomas "Wall requested that the prame value of section 11, block V, Longwood, be reduced to 10s per acre. The present price is 20s per acre, which had previously been reduced from 40s per acre.— Application refused. i Ranger Came Ton reported on tne application of Mr Thos. O'D«a for reduction of rent on sections 58 and 59 (L.I.P. 588) and sections 51 and 60 (L.I.P. 684), block V, Longwood. He had visited the sections, and failed to see any good and valid reasons for a reduction in price. — Resolved that the board cannot see its way to reduce the price of the land. E. Cosgriff, licensee of section 14, 'block 11, Lillburn, wrote for authority for amendment of license consequent on 2 acres and 5 poles being taken for a read. — Rc-solred that license be amended as to area, but that no reduction be made as to rent. , Ranger Campbell reported that Mr Julius ■ Bielawski, lessee of section 35, block IV, Campbelltown Hundred, had now made- more j than sufficient improvements and was residing. (Granted six months to build and reside, June 28, 1907.)— Received. John Tosh, licensee of sections 70. 74-93, I and 100, block XV, Invercargill Hundred (114 acres), applied for exemption from residence, as he lired on the adjoining property, and the land held on license was too swampy to reside upon. — Exemption granted duung the pleasure of the board. — Miscellaneous Licenses. — Applications w«r« granted as follows : Chas. Robimson, lot B, block IV, Ot»ramika Hundred, grazing license over burned area (140 aox«& ;F, B Bornten, lot C, Oteramika, Hun- j

died, grazing license over burned area (30 acres) ; Lucy M, Watson, blocks VII and XII, Long wood (100 acres, formerly held under agricultural license from the "Warden), granted fiom year to year at £2 10s _per annum; Donald Sutherland, section 9, block I, town of Calcium, grazing license, on condition that he keeps down weeds (Mid rabbits; Arthur Ward, sections- 1 and 2, block XIV, Mckoreta (200 acres), grazing ri|hts at £1 per annum ; Benjamin Ward, SM. area 195, Longwood. offer of £8 15s for timber accepted, 12 months being given to cut. John Doull, who applied for lease of part section 802, block LIV, Hokonui (10 acres), was offered a grazing- license over the whole of the open land (40 acres) at £1 per annum, on condition that he erect a swing gate on the road. A. G. Tuneson offered 2s per acre per annum for sections 121 and 124. block XX, Invercargill Hiiudred (16 acres). Ranger Cameron reported that 2s was more than the land was worth for grazing, and suggested its reservation for scenic purposes. The Bcaid declined Tnneson's offer, and the sections will be reserved for scenic purposes. — Applications for Titles. — The following were approved: Mrs P. H. Lewis, sections 10. 14, and 31, block XXII. Invercargill Hundred (70 acres) ; Charles Roff, section 18, block XX, Invercargill Hundred (30 acres) ; same, section 52, bhJc& XX, Invercargill Hundred (17 acres) ; Abraham M'Kenzie. section 58, block 111, Oteramika Hundred (66 acres). Following were approved, subject to the ranger's report : C. H. Tucker, sections 21, 22, 23, 54, and 89. block I, Paterson (25 acres), ai.d Francis Corkin, jun., section 138, block XIII, Waiau (168 acres). Mrs Lea Hinci requested that sections 23 and 24, block ITa, Sefyjrard j3ush, be registered' in her present name. The applicant wa« 1 a widow, and the title had previously been in the name of Mrs Lea M'Quarrie. — Granted. — Applications for Transfers. — The following were approved by the Board: 1 Runs 415 A 2, 1738, 173 C, and 4158. Takitimo, from. C. E. Cbolmondeley and P. Studbolme jto P. Studholme; block XIV, Jacob's River ! Hundred, from Duncan Cameron to Rcbert i Affkck; S.A. 413, extension No. 2, Lyndhurst Hundred, and S. site 456, block 11, Lyndhurst Hundred, from Glendhu Timber Co. to W. P. Thorn. The following were recommended to the Minister for' approval : Section 93, block XX, luvercargill Hundred, Samuel Robson to Thomas Anderson ; section b.ock XIX, InI varcargiil Hundred, F. Ladbrook to Robert i Anderson ; section 59, block VIII, Winton j Hundred. Felix Logue to William Benue-tt; sections 67-68, block XXII, Invarcargill Hundred, C. A. Church to L. M. Buddie; sections 65-66, block XXII. Invercaxgill Hundred, William Collett to William Smith; sections 5 and 6, block XVIII, Dacrefown. John Lee to Wm. F. Scully ; section €l block XVII, Dacretown, MargaTet Lee to W. F. Scully; | sections 2-6. block VII, Flinte Bu*h Top, William Thompson to William Johnston; section 61, block XXII, Invercargill Hundred, O. F. Treasler to J. F. A. Evana; eection 12, block XVIII, \ Longwood, R. T. Fearce to Percy Peaxce ; section 33. Edendale, Robert Dent to James R. M. Taylor. The transfer of section 2, block XVI. Taringatura, from James Kennard to E. J. Moylan^ | was not recommended. — Applications to Sub-lease. — Applications were granted as follows : Seci tions 77 and 78, Waiau, from Mary Sinclair ItoD. A. and D. Ca-mpbell ; section 15. block XVIII, Longwood, Robert Brown to W. J. Wards, section 6. block XVIII, Longwcod, Robert Brown to W. J. Wards. — Forfeitures, Etc. — The holdings of two tenants were ordered to be forfeited, one area comprising 169,700 I acres in the Fiord district, to be added to the National Park. Two forfeitures were reI ecinded and a tenant who h6d been called ! on to "show cause" was granted six months' exemption. — Thirds and Fourths. — The Receiver was authorised to pay over to the Wallace County Council "thirds and fourths" accrued due from Ist August to 31st October, amounting to £161 5e 9d. bllso timber and flax royalties amounting to £61 3s ad.