WASTE LAND BOARD.

Southland Times, Issue 1729, 18 April 1873, Page 2

WASTE LAND BO ARD.

At tbe meeting of the Waste Land Board on Tuesday, 15 th inst., there were present Messrs Pearson, Baker, and M'Arthur. The following applications were granted : — Williain Mollison, 130 acres, New River hundred ; Alexander M'Kenzie, 100 acres, New Eiver hundred ; Alexander M' Hardy, 30 acres, New River hundred; James Shand, 1840 acres, Winton hundred, and 300 acres Hokanui district, run 148 ; Thomas Fraser, 200 acres, Forest Hill hundred ; Findlay M'Rae, 200 acres, Forest Hill hundred ; James Shand, 30 acres, Winton hundred. The Commissioner of Crown Lands stated that he had communicated the decision arrived at by the Board at the meeting on Tuesday, Bth April, to the effect that the land for two miles on each side of the Winton-Kingston line had not been legally reserved from sale, to his Honor the Superintendent ; and that he had enquired whether the Provincial Government intended to exercise its powers to reserve the land in question. The Superintendent replied that the Government had no power to make such a reserve, and forwarded an opinion from the Provincial Solicitor stating that the emer gency might be met by the Board withdrawing th© land from sale under the 29th clause of the Southland "Waste Land Act Amendment Act, 1867. The Board resolved to adjourn the meeting to the following day to consider the subject. Tbe following resolutions were passed for tbe conduct of business before the Board: — 1. "Tbat any applicant in person or by agent may state his case, urging

his reasons why his application should be granted ; and having spoken once his case shall be considered closed, and he shall not be allowed to address the Board further." 2. "The Board may on the motion ofthe chairman, or any individual member, adjourn for tbe purpose of discussing its decision, informing the applicant when it will be given." ' At the adjourned meeting on tbe 16th inst., the same members were present. The question of the reserve of two miles on each sid« of the Wiuton-Kingston railway wa,9 discussed, and it was resolved unanimously — " That in terms of the Provincial Solicitor's opinion the Board will accede to the request of the Provincial Government to refuse to grant any application for land put in after 4 o'clock on the 15th inst., within the two miles on each side of the projected WintonKingston railway, pending the question being submitted to a judge of the Supreme Court, under clause G of the Southland Waste Land Act Amendment Act, 1867, and should the decision of the judge be against the power of the Board to refuse to grant applications for land for any other purpose than those specifically stated in clause 29 of the same Act, beginning with the word ' notwithstanding,' and ending with the word ' Province/ the land will be advertised open for sale after the usual term." The following application was granted : — Mathew Holmes, 3824- acres, Taringatura district, run 181. The same gentleman's application to purchase the line of railway reserve made through his purchased land, was deferred for the certificate of the Railway Engineer that the land will not be required for tbe railway. On tbe application of Messrs Cassells and M'Donald, it was resolved that Mr John Coucher be instructed to point out hia application for a saw-mill license in the Longwood Bush, the land to be taken in a rectangular block of 100 acres, the length not to exceed three times the width, the boundaries to be pointed out to Messrs Cassells and M'Donald within a week.