PROPOSED ABOLITION OF THE WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IX, Issue 908, 8 July 1880, Page 3

PROPOSED ABOLITION OF THE WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Is accordance with a resolution passed at a recent meeting of the Tauranga County Council requesting the Chairman to invite the d>operation of the various County Councils in the Province in presenting a petition to the Government for tho abolition of the Waste Lauds Board, and the vesting of its powers in the Comity Councils, tha Chairman forwarded to the Hon. Mr Kollestcn, the Minister of Lands, "the following lett-sr :— "Tauranga, June 35, 1880. " To the Hon. tha Minister of Lauds : " Sir,— l have been requested by the Tauranga County Council to prepare a petition for signature by the Chairmen of the County Councils in the Auckland district requesting the Government to abolish the Waste Lands Board, and vest its powers in the various Counties. I have not yet circulated the petition, hut am ready to do so if you think it advisable to fortify the following statements ! "Tha members of the Auckland Waste Lands Board are not elected by the people, and are therefore not responsible to them. They are ignorant of the local wants of the Counties remote from Auckland. They are citizens of Auckland. They have it in their power to fix high upset prices on lands, and thus prohibit settlement, or on the other hand to encourage sales In a favourite district by low upset prices ; and their proceedings are sometimes arrogant. Witness their refusal to allow land sales to be held at Tauranga. On the other hand, the County Councillors being elected are the fit custodians of i tho lands in their several districts, and, being watched by the people, no corrupt practices could be earned on. The Councils would be deeply impressed with the necessity of at once occupying and settling the waste lands in their own Counties, and Councillors know the value of the lands in .their respective ridings. . The district surveyor might be appointed to watch proceedings in matters per- , taining to land on behalf of the Government ; , also, to conduct the sales within his district. "The following case will illustrate the anomalies of the present system : — A new comer arrives in Tauranga with a view to purchase a farm. There is no ono on the ■ spot interested to point out the Government land. By dogged persevcranco he succeeds in ascertaining what fs Government land and , selects. He ha 3 now to discover when the . Board's meeting takes place in Auckland. L At that meeting he has to apply for a certain farm to be put up for sale. The Auckland Board must now write to tlie Tauranga " district surveyor to know the valuation of the 1 laud. The answer when received is discussed at another meeting, and if the application be favourably entertained, the land is advertised • for sale in threo months. After about six * months the applicant must incur the expense of a week in Auckland to complete the tran- | Baction himself or employ an agent. The general result is that the new comer, who ' intended to take up land at Tauranga, leaves ' in. disgust for the United States or somo | other colony where facilities are offered on ■ the spot for immediate purchase. Nothing [ would tend to forward settlement more than ; vesting the power now held by the Waste \ Lands Boards in the several Counties. — I ' am, &c, | " Samuet- L. Clakke, ( " Chairman Tauranga County Council. " i The Patea County Council, we observe ; by a circular sent to the Chairman of the . Tauranga Council, has forestalled our local . Councillors in taking action in this matter. s At a recent meeting that body passed the ; following resolution : — " That in the opinion of this Council, it is deajraWe that County . Councils should be constituted Land Boards. Being elective they are more likely to push . on the sale and occupation of the waste lands L of the colony than the Land Boards as at f present constituted ; and that the Chairman . communicate with the other County Councils y asking their ca-Qperation in this matter." [ The Chairman (Mr Dale) has accordingly > forwarded the resolution with a request for 5 co-operation.

A familiar instance of color-blindness is f that of a man taking a new brown silk urn* I brella and leaving a green gingham in its place.