WASTE LAND BOARD FREAKS. (To the Editor.)

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 253, 5 December 1872, Page 7

WASTE LAND BOARD FREAKS. (To the Editor.)

Sir, — T desire to call yonr attention and that of your readers, to some of "the freaks of the present incompetent Waste Land Board. I read in the last report of that body's proceedings, that an agricultural leaseholder anxious to purchase his land, made an offer to do so, subject to a reserve of one chain wide throughout wherever it might be required for railWay pilrpo-;e3, but the sapient Board refused to entertain this offer, and insisted on selling him the land without any condition. Now what does this mean ? Are the members of the Board of opinion •that private interests are. more worthy of consideration than the public interests, which they are appointed to conserve ? or do they wish to throw obstacles in the way of railway construction ? The conditions of every agricultural lease, empowers the Government to take land for roads where required ; and a railroad is of at least as much importance as a common road. Why not long since, this same Board refused to sanction a lease in this neighborhood, unless the lessee gave up land for a road, for a few stray packers to Bungtown ! and yet they have persistently sold land on the railway line without any reservation, despite + he Warden's repeated remonstrances. It is said that old fools are the worst of fools, and it would seem that, old Boards seem the most wooden of Boards. It is fortunate that the' Waste Land Board is just at point of official death. Let us hope the new Board will be composed of sounder material. — Yours, &c, Progress.