THE LAND COMMISSION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 100, 3 June 1914, Page 3

THE LAND COMMISSION.

■ ! r ''' : ■ HGKITIKA, June;2. . ..... The . B.oyal Commission on timber, mining aid . land tenures, .Messrs J. Strauchon, (chairman), . J." A! s Marchant, and' Major with, Mr. F. T. Sandford .as "secretary, concluded its sitting at Hokijika to-day. The principal witnesses protested - against 'dual control by the Warden's' Court and the Land;Board,:preferring the latter; . The. sawmillers required a better tenure "to enr able them to .finance the timber areas' ■he]d, also larger tiihber reserves to warrait -the construction of 'railways to the .back,-country. ' The. mi? l ®? 3 Swished the right to land, to combine mining with pastoral', and' agricultural pursuits... Settlers desired occupation With right of temporary grazing ■ licenses, to enable them'to v make improvements and. per-< manent homes,; ,with .resumptionfpt mining /.purposes' - .carrying "'-cpmpensar rfe'comiriende'd that worked-' oiit sawmill aVeas shbiiid be biirnt and grassed; ;and that mining tailings should be' levelled whilst- working; to.-ey.entojf-' MlyJVeeome;'^iiit : grpmngland;, .that where 'possible superior pastoral .land, should be removed' from " the jurisdiction of the Warden's Court. The evidence showed the possibility of-West-land as a gold-producing centre for companies ' working on a - large scale, and deprecated ' attempts tp create a boom which in the past had done harm to the industry.

The Commission will sit in Boss toand in Kumiara on Thursday.