"WASTE LAND BOARD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 250, 14 November 1872, Page 6

"WASTE LAND BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of the "Waste Land Board wa3 held on the 6th. There were present — the Chief Commissioner (in the chair) and Messrs Dnncan and Hughes.

The Chief Commissioner intimated that Mr Carrick had raised objections to the sale of section 2, block 16, Waihola, to Mr J. H. Harris, and that he (the Chief Commissioner) had promised to bring the matter under notice of the Board. Mr Harris attended and explained the whole circumstances in connection with the case, and the Board resolved to confirm the pale.

Mr Moodie (of Connell and Moodie) applied on behalf of George Fraser, to have an addition to the area granted to him for a sawmill at Maungatua. The application y^i. postponed for affidavit as to the power of the engine to be employed. The report of Warden Wood, on the complaint that certain roads had been closed throngh run 202, by Mr Ibbotsan's manager at Switzers, was read. The Board decided, the road being public property, the runholder had no right to close it. A letter was read from C. Delatour, asking if combinig the Union Church with the Athenaeum, Naseby, would invalidate the claim of the Church Committee to the piece of land on which the church is erected. The letter was ordered to be referred to the Warden for report. The application of R. E. Field to purchase about a quarter of an acre of the town of Naseby, part of the residence area of Mr John Creighton, was referred to the Warden. Plans of application of Cargill and Anderson, for 20,000 acres in Benger and Teviot Districts, were submitted and approved of, and the applicants declared the purchasers. Mr C. H. Street applied to purchase section 43, block 1, Warepa Bush Reserve. The application was referred to the Hanger for report.

Mr M'Keay appeared on behalf of D. Hunter to press his application for an agricultural lease, which had been previously postponed to await the attendance of some member of the Government to give explanation respecting the matter ; and there still being no member of Government present, the Board declined to proceed with the consideration of the application. Mr M'Keay reminded them that it was a very hard thing both for him and his client, who were being put to great expense. He had now been appearing for three weeks, and had been unable to seenre the attendance of any member of the Government. He had that moment left Mr Cutten (who, ifc appeared, was the only member of the Government who could sit on the Board), and that gentleman pasitively refused to attend ; so it appeared to him, unless the Board would depart from their previously expressed resolve, the whole business must come to a dead-lock.

Mr Duncan explained that the Government refused to grant certain applications, and then the applicants or their agents came to the Board, and asked for information, -wtlcK the Board -was utterly unable to give, and therefore they c&uld not proceed until some member of the Government was present. The Chief Commissioner and Mr Hughes having expressed their concurrence in the remarks of Mr Dnncan. Mr M'Keay again went in pursuit Apjf Mr Cutten, the Chief Commissioner having requested Mr M'Keay to say that if Mr Cutten would come, he (the Chief Commissioner) would retire for the time being. Mr M'Keay returned, and again intimated his inability to secure the attendance of Mr Cutten, and the Board having resolved to adhere to their previous decision, Mr M'Keay remarked : " I cannot bring a member of the Government, gentlemen, -what then am I to do?" The Board then adjourned for a short time, and eventually Mr M'Keay reappeared, armed with a memorandum from the Superintendent ; and, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, the Board approved of the application.