Waste Lands Board.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 14

Waste Lands Board.

The weekly meeting of the Land Board was held on Wednesday. There were present Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), H. Bastings, C. S. Reeves, H. Clark, and J. Green. The following business was transacted :— HINDON QUARTZ-REEFS. Messrs G. Watson and Cameron waited upon the Board to urge that blocks IV and V, Mount Hyde, should be withdrawn from sale, on the ground that the land might prove auriferous Mr Watson addressed the Board, pointing out that the quartz-reefs in the Hindon district were fast being developed. Last year only a singlo reef was at work ; now there wero six, and parties were out prospecting in the neighbourhood. He also pointed out that the several bushes in the neighbourhood were required for mining purposes. , The Chairman said four sections in block IV had been marked out as fitted for deferred payment. As Warden of the district he might say that he had taken steps to have the bushes reserved for mining purposes. There could be no doubt that there was considerable activity in reefing there at the present time, and it was impossible to say how much of the land would prove auriferous. Mr Bastings suggested that the four sections suitable for deferred payment should be withheld from sale until it was seen whether a mining population settled ; for if so, the sectious could be cut up into 10-acre sections, and advantageonsly disposed of in that way The Chairman said this had been foreseen, and a village settlement had been surveyed and would be recommended to the Government. After some further discussion, it was agreed to withhold from tale blocks IV and V as requested. (2 BUSH LICENSE. Messrs Empen and Clelland asked fo a licenso to occupy 10 acres of bush land on section 10, block V, Mount Hyde, to cut timber for mining purposes. The Chairman said a question arose as to whether this would not be granting a monopoly to some extent, and suggested that the Ranger should be asked to reThe Ranger was accordingly asked to report. ACCOMMODATION-HOUSE. Arnold Sturm applied to occupy portion of road reserve in block XI, Mount Hyde, as a site for an accom-modation-house under section 86 Land Act, 1877. It was agreed that the Ranger should report upon this application also. rr ALEXANDRA. In reference to the application by P. Murray that his section at Alexandra when offered Bhould be burdened with valuation for improvements to tho extent of £100, the District Land Officer estimated the value at £80. The application was further deferred. DEFERRED PAYMENTS. The following leases were granted :— D. M'Lean, section 7, block V, Lower Hawea; J. T. Tanner, sec tion 24, block X, Glenkemch ; James Flowers, section lA, block I. Waikaka ; Robert Boag, section 11, block George White, sections 19, 16, 37, 14, 33, and 36, 15, - d35 - biockix isio f « ' 'S^'oard decided to offer for lease by auction for lOvears Runs 1, 3, 4, and 6, Waiporl (now held by MeSM'Donaldand Mathieson), f gltowlng r«itota S No 1, £130 J NO. 3, £186 ; No. 4, £126 ; No. 6, £80. GLENOHARU. Messrs Begg and Sheddan's application to purchase macros of blocks HI and VII, Glenoniaru, was refused H [ground I that the proposed line of railway runs jjjirough the land,

Itobort Miller claimed compensation for 3a lrOp deficient area on sections 10 and 46, blocks VII and IX, Glcnomaru ; also cost of clearing same. Tho Board agreed to recommend Government to refund the money paid for the deficient quantity. AGRICULTURAL LEASES. The following applications to purchase were approved -.—Martha Moffitt (executrix of the late George Moffitt), section 18, block VIII, Waikaia; Patrick Kerin, sections 74 and 75, block VIII bhotover ; A. T. Brazil, section 14, block X, Benger. The following applications to exchange agricultural for deferred-payment leases were granted :— J. P. Chalmers, sections 31 and C 2, block 11, Table Hill ; J. B. Chalmers, sections 29 and 30, block 11, Table Hill. MIKING LEASES. The following applications were approved :— John Holt, sections 130, 131, and 132, block 11, Leaning Rock ; John Short, section 9, block I, Bantiockburn ; H. M'Nulty, jun., and William Mutter, section 21, block I, Cromwell. TRANSFER. William Straehan applied that his deferred-payment section 4, block 111, Kurow, should be transferred to John Orr. Agreed to be done on fulfilment of conditions. KELSO. On the petition of a number of the inhabitants of Kelso, it was agreed to recommend the Government i that sections 13, 14, 18, 16, and 17, block 111, Kelso, be made a reserve for recreation. waikawa. Ranger Hughan, reporting upon a dispute between the miners at Waikawa and the lessee of Hun 407 (Mr Haldane), suggested that eight or ten acres bo withdrawn from the run. Government was recommended to cancel the lease over the portion of the run referred to. MOUNT HYDE AND MAUNGATUA. In addition to blocks IV and V, previously dealt with at this sitting, the Board agreed to opon sections 6, 7, 8, and 11, block XI, Mount Hyde, for application at 20s per acre ; to withdraw section 10, block XI, from sale on account of the bush on same ; and to withdraw sections 3 and 4, block XVI, Maungatua, from sale on account of the bush being required for the mining community. OCEAN BEACH BATHS. An application was made by George Watson, on behalf of a company, to occupy a site at Ocean Beach, between high-water mark and the sandhills, for the purpose of erecting baths. In reply to questions, Mr Watson said the company would undoubtedly be formed as soon as it was known that the site would be granted. The Chairman pointed out from the Act that the Governor could be recommended to set apart the portion asked for as a baths reserve. He suggested that the application should be allowed to stand over for a week, in order to determine how largo a portion should be specified. Other persons might wish to go in for the same thing, and it would be advisable to get tho whole area reserved at once. Tho application was therefore adjourned for a week.