Taranaki Land Board.

Patea Mail, 31 March 1881, Page 3

Taranaki Land Board.

At a meeting of the above Board held on Monday, extension of time for one month was granted to W. O’Brien for the payment of instalment duo on section 4, block 3, Ngairs. The following deferred payment sections were declared forfeited : A. Thomas, section 227, containing 75 acres, and section 228, 84 acres, Moa; Jas, Murphy, section 25, block 10, Ngaire, containing 253 acres ; W. P. Taylor, section 38, block 6, Ngaire, containing 30 acres and the Ranger was instructed to value the improvement, and to re-enter the sec* tions on behalf of the Board. The Ranger having inspected the district, recommended the Board to assent to proposed expenditure of deferred payment money on the Clifford and Mangawhero roads. The application was referred back to the Road Board for a statement of the specific amounts required for each road. CROWN GRANT FEES. In reply to question from Mr Barleyman whether there was any rule laid down as to the number of allotments that could be included in one Crown grant, or in one receipt of the Receiver of Land Revenue, the Chief |Commissioner said that he hud always made it a rule to consult the wishes of purchasers of land. As a general rule he included as many allotments as possible in a grant, but occasionally purchasers desired that separate grants should be issued for each allotment. If situate in the same town, the number of allotments that he would include in a grant would only be limited by the space for description on the grant forms. If in the same rural district the same rule was adopted. If even in separate rural or survey district, but on the boundaries of each, then contiguous allotments could be included in one grant.

Tii'.; general opinion of the Board was that the convenience of purchasers should he siu.ii.d so as to cause as little expense as possible. Mr Bailcyman sail! a totally different system was being pursued in the West Coast district, where the object scenic I to be to get as much as possible in the shape of fees out of every purchaser of Government land. Thus, for town sections in Miiuaia even purchasers of contiguous sections had two receipts, involving additional fees in every transfer. RKSIONATION OF MR ISARI.FVMAX. After ordinaiy business Mr Barleyman tendered his resignation, and took the opportunity of stating that the people in Ids' neighbourhood recognised the fairness of the action of the Taranaki Land Board and the painstaking efforts of the Chief Commissioner and other officers of the Department iu settling a country difficult to deal with, and also the careful consideration which had always been shewn for the difficulties the settlers had to face. lie considered it a wise measure to place the administration of lands in the West Coast Land District under the immediate control of Ministers, but was doubtful whether public convenience had been promoted by the appointment of a commissioner at a point of the Provincial District most remote from where the real business of the district was transacted. The Chief Commissioner felt sure he was expressing the general opinion of the Board when he stated that he regretted Mr Barleyman had come to the conclusion that ho would resign his sent. He thanked that gentleman for his kind testimony as to the endeavour of the Board to perform its duty towards the Patea District. For liis part he could truly state that he had throughout endeavoured to do equal justice to Patea and Taranaki, and he had never seen any attempt to make any difference between the distant parts of the district and (he neighborhood o£ Jse\v in respect of Jan cJ transactions on the part of any of the members of the Board from the time of its construction. He again (hanked Mr Barleyman for his testimony in this direction, and regretted that the Board was losing his services.