REPORTS, &c. Southland Land Board..

Otago Witness, Issue 1765, 19 September 1885, Page 3 (Supplement)

REPORTS, &c.

Southland Land Board..

The following is a resume of the businesstranacted at the meeting held on the lOthu inst. : —

The following applications were granted :-r~ For deferred-payment sections — J. R. Stuck,, sections 70, block VI, Jacobs River Hundred W. Stevens, section 73, block IV, Jacob's River Hundred ; . j. Pallet, section 74, block IV, Jacobs. River Hundred ; A. Thomson, section 662, block Hokonui. To capitalise — Moses M'Carthy, section 628, Hokonui. Ranger- Campbell reported favourably oa. 'the* application of John Brunsden and Co. for section 35, block IV, Campbelltown Hundrrdi-

George Melvilie was granted three months?" extension of time in which to commence operations on,-his present sawmill area at Greenhills..

The transfer of section 44, Jacobs River. Hunrdred, from F. Price to John Stewart wag sanctioned, subject to the payment of arrears off rent.

Small and Co. applied for permission to, cuib timber on certain sections iv Waimatuku BusUu. — Ranger to report.

Moses M'Carthy was granted £7 ajs part ef the valuation of a boundary fence between Ms section and one which had been forfeited in. iite Hokonui district.

Robert Cowan applied for leave to oultitrate block XXI., Limehills township, Eor whicji he had obtained a pastoral lease. — Leave granted to take two white crops-off the area.

It was resolved to. give a deferred-pagooienfe settler in the Hokonui district notice to comply with the residence conditions.

W. Foley was granted permission, to. take twowhite crops off section 5, Flints- Bush^, which he lield on a grazingjltease.

John Miller wrote stating titf? lie- was unable to live on his deferred-paymeufc.sectH\Bisi, block 11., Seaward Bweh, owing to its being under water. He asked thaii the reserve on thfi adjoining: section be taken, off and the- land either sold forcash, or, if ib were legal,, gt^mtedi to him <m.\ deferred payments, with permission; to remove* his house. — Itanger to report,, Wm. Goldsby appeared before the Board a&fc complained) that he could not ge-t toliis deferrals payment section C 3, blo«k VIL, Qfcatara. Owing; to its position and the want of a road it was; impossible- for him to comply with the conditions... He asked leave to surrender; the section. — W;w,&s resolved" to cancel tho-license»the applicant beis»g inforxs^l that he -would still be liable te», the Government for tb* arreavs of rent.

Mr liumsden remarked, that it was abswtthat the- Government should have the powc* fco take a section from a ipaji and afterwards compel him io pay part of vis price, James Stewart having applied for exemption, from residence on section 10, block TQ, Limehills township, on th© ground that it was covered with bush, Ranger Mussen repay ted that itfs. applicatiou was woll founded, ivnd that he xros. placed at, a great disadvantage as far as vo&ds were concerned, there being no outlet Ifo tbf) best portion of his seetioi\.-=-Six monibs 1 ex~ tension of time was granted, and it was yeso-ived*

■on the recommendation of the Chief Surveyor, to lay down a road on the western side of the sections in block 33. The Chief Commissioner said that, as the "board was aware, a number of cases wherein the question of forfeiting deferred-payment licenses had arisen were standing over until it was seen if the new Laud Act would make provision for -capitalisation after one year's residence .instead of three. The Board's recommendation on the subject had not reached the Government till after the bill had been prepared, but they waited to see if in passing it the desired amendment would be made. Having received no definite information on the point, however, and as the would have the effect of forcing those whose sections might have to be forfeited deeper into the mire, he had sent a telegram to Wellington to ascertain if in this direction the bill would give effect to the Board's view. The reply had been as follows : — " You must act ac•cording to existiag law with respect to capitalisation, as the future Act has not yet passed the Legislature, As bill is reported from House : capitalisation is after three years." Considering the nature of the reply it might be advisable to deal with the forfeiture cases at once. Mr Lumsden said the bill had passed the l.ower House, and was now" before the Waste Xands Committee of the Legislative Council. , Some of the members of the latter body were more liberal in their views on the land questions than the majority of fhose in the House, and he • i>elieved there was a strong feeling amongst them against several of the proposals in the new ' hill. Under these circumstances action might "be delayed for a week, to see what amendments might be made. The suggestion of Mr Lumsden was adopted, and the matter dropped.