TARANAKI LAND BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 50, 17 January 1880, Page 2

TARANAKI LAND BOARD.

Wk take the following account of the proceedings of the last meeting of the above Board, held on Monday, from the Taranaki Herald: — The Chairman said he had received a telegram from the Government stating that the members of the late Board had beou re-appointed. He telegraphed back to Wellington asking if it would be illegal for the Board to sib before the members had taken the oath, as there was no judge of the Supremo Court hero to administer the oath. lie received in reply the following telegram:—Government is advised that acts of the Board will not be illegal, nor the public damnified by the oaths not being taken, but it will be the duty of the Commissioners to take oaths at the earliest opportunity.” A return of land sold during the month of December w&s read, showing that 1 rural allotment, containing 62 acres and 20 perches was sold at £3 4s per acre ; total value, £l9B 16s. Total sales in 1879, 11 tow.i sections, comprising 2 acres ; 15 suburban sections, 78 acres; 14-1 rural sections, 9,234 acres. Average rate per aero :—Town £45; suburban, £5; rural, £1 18s lOd. The report of the Chief Surveyor was read as follows :—“ I have the honor to report for the. information of the Waste Lands Board that surveys have been completed in the following blocks, maps of which will be submitted to you in a few days:—‘Ngaire blocks, 3 and 7, 1,800; Ngaire blocks, 13 and 14, 1,800 acres; Ngaire, block 10, 500 acres (sawmill purposes); Hniroa District, block 6, 1,250 acres Opimako town. Surveys in progress: Ngaire, block 2, 1,000 acres; Ngaire, block 10, 1,500 acres ; Hniroa, block 6 ,600 acres. Total, 10,500 acres. The Chairman said it would bo necessary for the Board to fix its regular lime of medium, au.l have the same

gazetted.—Mr Kelly thought it would be as well not to appoint the time for bolding regular meetings until next Monday, as he understood a Patea member would be appointed to sit at the Board, and it would be advisable to consult his wishes in the matter.—The consideration of the question was adjourned until next Monday. The Cdniriman said the application of the Hon Secretary of the Carlyle Fire Brigade for permission to erect a firebell at the junction of three streets in Carlyle, had been referred to the District Land Officer at Carlyle for his report. The report staled that the land was nob Waste Lands of the Crown, and that the Town Board had offered a suitable site to the Fire Brigade, in lieu of the one asked for.—Mr Kelly moved, and Mr Blandish seconded, l “ That having inspected the plan of the town ot Carlyle, the Board is of opinion that the piece of land applied for is not Waste Lands of the Crown but is a portion of a public street, the Board cannot there fore deal with the land applied for.”— Carried, A letter was read from Messrs Gane Brothers, of Whakarnara, stating that they would pay the instalment due on their deferred payment land on the first Wednesday in the present month. The Chairman of the Manganai Road District applied to the Board under the “ Rating Act, 1877,” danse 51), for money due to the Road Board.—The Chairman was instructed to request the Monganni Road Board to furnish a detailed statement of the roads required to be made.

Some discussion took place as to the desirability of keeping an account of the money expended on deferred payment roads.—-The. matter was left in the hands of the Chairman to devise the best method of keeping the account.

Tim Chairman drew the attention of the Board to the important provision in the new Land Act, He stated that the Board would now be enabled to alter the upset prices in several of the small townships, as the new Act gave full power to the Jjoaul to reduce the price where it was considered desirable.—On the motion of Mr Kelly, seconded by Mr iSymo, it was resolved, “ That the Board recommends that allotments of land already sold under deferred payments and allotments still open for selection in Ltuiroa, block (!; Ngaire, blocks I, 2. 5, 0, and JO: llawera, block 12 ; and and Oioi-Opakn be proclaimed under section 4 of ‘ The Land Act, ltf77, Amendment; Act, 1 D7‘J,' that sub-section 4 of section fid of the ‘ Laud Act, 1877,’ should not apply, as the allotments referred to are wholly covered with forest, and are not easily accessible.”

Mr Kelly was of opinion that deferred payment hind should be offered at the stone price as the 'and offered for cash. The question was deferred, some of the members considering that the Act only intended that the price of deferred payment allotments should be reduced in certain cases, and not as a general rule.

The Chairman said a portion of the land south of Stratford had not been gazetted as waste lands of the Crown, although several sections had been sold. The Chairman was instructed to request the Government to publish the necessary proelama tion. ■ An application made by Albert. Pioch to purchase on terms of deferred payment .section 79* block 1, Ngaire district, was accepted by the Board.