WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VIII, Issue 436, 20 February 1875, Page 3

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

(From the "Guardian") Wednesday, February 17.

Present : The Chief Commissioner (Mr. Thomson), in the chair ; and Messrs Reid, Clark, Butterworth, Strode, and Bastings. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. ~rvn 64. Messrs. Gillies and Street applied for a license to occupy a part of the above run, not included in the Toi-Tois Hundred. Mr. Doughty, for Mr. Muir, of Bun 257, appeared to oppose the application. To be sold by auction, on the usual terms, under section 145. RESIGNATION OF RANGER INNES. A letter was received from Ranger Innes, resigning his situation as Ranger of the interior. The resignation was accepted, and the Board resolved that the vacancy should be advertised. THE MATATTRA BKIDGS. A memo, from Mr. Archibald and the Chief Surveyor was read in reference to the mill site at the Mataura. It appears from the remarks made by the Chief Surveyor that there was a very strong probability of the site becoming very valuable, as it was in the centre of a large agricultural district and on the line of the Southern Trunk railway, and also commanded unlimited water power. There are at present two or more applications for it. Consideration of them was postponed. A COAX LEASE. The Government recommended that a lease applied for by Mr. Dooley, of the Kawarau, and withheld on account of the land applied for being a run reserved, should be granted to him. Mr. Gillies appeared for the applicant. Lease to issue on the usual terms. MOERAKI DISTRICT. ? The report of Ranger Yalpy was read on the application of Mr. Calcutt for section 43, block 11., Moeraki district. The Ranger, in his report, stated that a number of the Shag Valley settlers wished the land to be sold by auction, and that they were not aware that it was open for sale. It was estimated to be worth 30s. per acre. He suggested that the land applied for should be kept as a camping for travelling stock. No action was taken in the matter beyond the reading of the report. BUSH RESERVES AT POPOTUNOA. At a meeting of the Board held a fortnight ago, it was resolved that Mr. Pollock's lease of these reserves should be cancelled, and the matter was referred to the Government for the opinion of the Provincial Solicitor whether or not this course should be adopted. The following memo was now read from Mr. Stout : — " I think it would be better to begin an action, if, after the demand of the Chief Commissioner, the lessee refuses to surrender his lease. It is trlffi that the Crown Lands Act gives the Chief Commissioner power to resume possession of crown lands on the non-performance of contract ; but that resumption must be in a legal way, that is, by action." It was resolved that the Chief Commissioner should act in accordance with the advice of the Provincial Solicitor. LAND ON DEFERRED PAYMENTS. Mr. A. F. M'Kenzie «rrote requesting

the Board to postpone the sale of 8,000 acres of land in the Waikoikoi Hundred advertised to be sold on the deferred payment system on the 24th instant. The Board considered it impossible to > comply with the request. CUTTING TIMBER WITHOUT A. LICENSE. Charles Colclough, for Robert Walker, requested that certain timber seized by one of the Rangers on behalf of the Board should be returned to him on payment of tha license. The letter was referred to the Ranger for his report. APPLICATIONS FOB LANB. Stewart M'Combe, section 46, ' block XVI II., Tuapeka East. — Approved. John Syi'ett, section 54, block XIX., Tuapeka East. — Postponed until surveyed. James Whyte, section 55, block XIX., Tuapeka East. — Same decision. Wm. Cuniming, section 12, block XIII., Beaumont. — Postponed. Robert Elliott, sections 16, 20, 21. and 22, block T., Beaumont.— l 6, 21, and 22 approved : 20 to be advertised as open for application. MINING FOE SLATE. Mr. Robert Short applied for a lease for 21 years, of 350 acres on Run 217, for the purpose of mining for slate. The Chief Commissioner explained that the maximum area for mineral leases was 80 acres, but it was not usual to grant more then five or 10 acres. Many valuable slate-quarries were not larger than the small areas mentioned by him. He had known £100,000 worth of slate to be taken out of a quarry not more than one acre in extent. Other members of the Board expressed themselves in somewhat similar terms, and also considered the acreage asked for too large. The applicant stated that the land applied for was of a very broken description. The following minute was recorded :—: — " Survey to be forwarded, but the Board is not disposed to grant more than 200 acres." CLARENDON. Messrs. Cable and Drummond applied for section 34, block VII., Clarendon, formerly temporarily reserved. Referred to the Ranger for his report. LEASE FOR APPROVAL. The Government submitted for the approval of the Board the lease of sections 1 and 2, Kawarau distriot, to John M'Cormick. The Board approved of the lease, and referred it to the Chief Commissioner. SCOTCH THISTLES AT SADDLE HILL. Mr. D. H. Miller, as agent for Mr. Jaffray, Saddle Hill, complained that thistles were allowed to grow on the bush Reserve, section 53, block VIII., Dunedin and Taieri district, and he requested that means might bs taken to prevent them going to seed and spreading over the adjoining property. The applicint complained of the hardship and the expense which the settlers had to undergo in keuping their own land clean, yet the Government allowed these weeds to accumulate on the reserve. The Chief Commissioner : T understood that the thistles improved the land. The r applicant : If they do improve the land it seems that the settler 3 are bound to keep their land clear of them. Messrs Reid and Bastings thought that the accepted opinion now was that thistles improved the land. The Board resolved that it had no power in the matter. Warepa. A memo of the* Chief Surveyor was read in reference to Mr. Young's application of August 19. for a tree-planting area at Ware pa. Application to be granted on condition of the Government approving of the regulations.