KAURI TIMBER IN OHINEMURI DISTRICT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 197, 20 August 1900, Page 5

KAURI TIMBER IN OHINEMURI DISTRICT.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.)

PAEROA, this day.

Public notice has been given by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, of the intention of the Crown Lands Board to submit for public auction on the 31st inst. about 5,380,000 super feefof splendid kauri timber in the Ohinemuri county, close to the Waitawheta River. This |imber is the balance of a valuable block which was originally reserved for this county for mining purposes, and the larger part of which was sold by the Crown Lands Board about two years ago to the Kauri Timber Co. That timber should never have been sold, but' Should have been, retained for the benefit of the mining industry. Now, however, when it is proposed to dispose of the balance and thus deprive the Karangahake and Waikino mines of all chance of procuring kauri mining timber at a reasonable price, it is time the mining community interfered to prevent such a gross injustice. Last October it was rumoured there' was an intention to sell this timber, but a protest to the Hon. A. J. Cadman by the County Council apparently stopped proceedings for the time being. In this instance no notice was given to the Ohinemuri County Council, who are vitally interested in the matter, and but for Cr. Marrinan, who saw the notice of the sale, probably nothing would have been known of the transaction till too late. 1 understand ah indignation meeting will be held in ICarangahake early next week to protest against this barefaced injustice, and it is impossible when the circumstances are fully made known that it should be permitted by the Government. -Kauri timber is already becoming very scarce in Ohinemuri, and to attempt to thus deprive the mining* community of one of the few blocks .left is most untust.