The Tuapeka West Deferred Payment Section.

Bruce Herald, Volume X, Issue 958, 16 November 1877, Page 6

The Tuapeka West Deferred Payment Section.

FORFEITURE OF MICOMBS' GROUND.; At its' meeting, on Wednesday, the Waste Lands Board considered the cases of Stewart M'Comb and John- M'Coihb, who hold deferred payment ; sections iv the Tuapeka cWeat district.- , -.'' -■•;■.-.-_• .: • Ranger "Bughan's report of 29; h September on the matter was as f'tliuws :— "I have the lionour'-to report having inspected deferred payment land in block 111,- Tuapeka West district.* I find : that Stevvart 'fti'Oomb, licensee of 'gecr.i..n3 56, 57, arid 68, block TIT, Tiiap^ka West, is hot personally occupying his land. Thei-e is only a small hut on the land, the value of which I "could not estimate at nior© than 20i, as a man could piH it up in a day. There was no appear? ancß of any person living in. it, as there were no bedding or qooking utensil, or in fact anything to show that any person was living in it. The land is fenced in with the excep T tion of the, division fence between Beotions 57 to 49 v T have also to report that William M'Comb., ' licensee of sections 48 and 49, same bl<ick, is not in persmal occupation. A. house haa been put up on section .4fi t but no person is occupying" jfc. " Ilanger Bughan's report was taken into consideration by the, Waste : Lands 15>ard some weeka ago, when the matter wa.s. adr jonrncd for farther enquiry, a.nd the D.isr trict Land Officer at Lawrence w»s requested, to ad yisQ ilia ori |he Rialtep. 2Vfr darevr siibssquentlj'. .reporteS aa. folInws :— '•' I examined theae np!ding3 on ...the iS/li ult M but f n ny press of busiqeß.a havie in^dvertejitly otnitfee^ io report before no.Wi.'' The two allotments, .together, with a portion of the railway reserve, held under liq««se, are fenced. with a ring fence, whiph encloses the whole areQ. in ppp The house on John ftliComb's allotment has no .appearance of haying been occupied.;; The hut on Stewart M'Comb's allqimeni;^ is as stated by Mr Rf.ugThan, an 4 wasi probably erected a% a place of .temporary glieltec for the men. who fenced the land. On my visit >T found that ft hut ha I lately n crc.cted of : t jmbj3f, witii & sheet-iron roof, in s'"z « about 14 by=lo feet s and about half an a<jre of li>nd had been repently cleared of ..fl>x, I beiieye it to be highly probable that 4he inferences drawn by Mr Hughan »re correqt^ vbnt I cannot pesitivelysfate, that either. (Of:- the licensees' is a dummy, I thinkrthat llie only way to secure, pereonjil :of

wi-uLtCbe ta cans* s me oflicer to makw periodcd visits of inspection U> each, holding. If the Board were to d cde that peraouHl • :ccnpat.iou m-ans such a, confinuouiVeaide' cc on an allotment us wouid be inconsistent with the occupation of another residence in the' same district, I believe th ;re would he no difficulty proof that both of the licensees have violated tlie law in that respect. -;. Mr Hughan could, 'l 'believe, give information on this point, in respect to one, if not both of the licensees." ""."*''' In reply to the Chief Commissioner, Ranger Hughan sUted that Stewart M'Comb resided on the mining reserve at Munro'a Gully. John M 'Comb was employed I up.*n the Hibernian Wat-r Race, and had to j be there night and morning. Hisj family was ] there also. I The; Board, after considering, the -matter, resolved—" Thafc Stewart M'Comb and John M'Coinb, havino; failed to the satisfaction of i the Waste Lands Board to fulfil the condi- { tions under which their license was granted, namely, that within six montji3 of IH9 issne of. the license, and thenctf.-rward during the continuance of such HceiiSH, thvy. should personally each occupy one of the allotments, the | Board hereby declares the license to be re- i yoked, and the same, is herebj 7 ., revoked nccprdinuly,. and the Board resume possession of the land." , i