WASTE LAND BOARD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 308, 29 November 1873, Page 3

WASTE LAND BOARD.

The usual weekly meeting of the Board was held on the 27th inst. Present.— The Chief Commissioner, and Messrs. Bastings, Butterworth,'Reid, and Strode.

Messrs. John Martin and Philip Broal wrote submitting that the price, 60s. per acre for their holdings — sections 40 and 41, block 2, Teviot — is exoessive, and requesting the Board to reconsider its decision. The Board, however, confirmed its former decision.

Mr. Edward Tubman's application to exchange his lease of sections 4, 9, and 19, block 1, Benger, under clause 63, was approve 1.

The opinion of the Attorney-General on the question of the sale of 4375 acres of land in Glenkcnich district fe Captain M'Kenzie waß received. On March 21 of the present year Captain M'Kenzie applied to purchase all the land open in block 3, Glenkenich district," comprising sections Ito 39, 52 to 58, Go to 70, 78, 80, and 81 — in all 4375 acres. Captain M'Kenzie had a lease of run ICB, and during .January had given his consent to the declaring by the Government, as open for sale, 10,000 acres comprised in his lease. On February 19 the Government advertised as open for application on March 20 the block as above mentioned (4375 acres) at £1 per acre. On the latter date Captain M'Kenzie, by his agents, Messrs. Connell and Moodie, sent in km application for tho block, accompanied by a marked cheque for £437 10s., deposit of 10 per cent, on the upset price of the land. The practice of the Waste Land Office is not to require a deposit for surveyed land, and, the cheque was returned to Captain M'Kenzie next day ; he, however, lodging another application for the same land accompanied by the deposit, in gold. Three other persona had also applied on the 20th for the whole of the landj without forwarding deposits, they being informed by the salesman of the Board that deposits were considered unnecessary. The Waate Land Board decided that, there being more than one applicant for the same land on the same day, it should be put up for sale by public auction, in terms of the Act. Against this decision Captain M'Kenzie gave notice of appeal, and subsequently asked the Board to concur in a case to be submitted to a Judge of the Supreme Court for his decision, which the Beard declined to do. In October Captain M'Kenzie proposed to the Government that, if he would be allowed to purchase 1800 acres contiguous' to his homestead and froehold land on the same run, he would abaudon the appeal. Dr. Webster and Mr. Shand, having visited the land, recommended that his proposition should be acceded to, provided the Attovnoy-GfenoraTs opinion, which had been asked, was in favor of Captain M'Kenzie. The Attorney-General's opinion having been obtained, the Waste Land Board agreed to sell Captain M'Kenzie the 1800 acres referred to. The appeal is therefore abandoned, and the 4375 acres in the Glenkenich district will be sold by auction.