WASTER LANDES BOARD.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 1, 9 July 1874, Page 3

WASTER LANDES BOARD.

(Prom Dunedin morning contemporaries.) The regular weekly rrjee ting of, the Waste Lands Board was^ held "on the Ist inst. Present : The Chief Commissioner, Mr. J". T. Thomson (in the chair), and Messrs. Butter worth, Bastings, Clark, and Strode. MINUTES. The minutes of previous meeting were read aud confirmed. TOIS TOIS HUNDRED. Mr G. F. Richardson, for the Wardens of Tois Tois Hnndred, brought under notice the " non-payment of moneys payable, he said, by the Board for license fees received, and assessments collected, on that Hundred. Mr Richardson explained that the Board had had the management of the Hundred for some years, and the present Wardens wanted information as to the financial affairs of the Hundred during that time, being totally ignorant of them. There was a sum of about LIOOO due by the Government to the Hundred, , and which the Government had received in fees and assessments. It was resolved that the Chief Commissioner should investigate the matter. APPLICATION FOR AN APOLOGY. Mr. G. F. Richardson, of Oaklands, Toi Tois Hnndred, brought under the notice of the Board the wrong done him by the action of the- Board in issuing a distress warrant for non-payment of assessment. Mr. Richardson said he saw in the newspapers a resolution of the Board intimating that a distress warrant would be issued against him. He had had no intimation of the matter. It was unfair to decide in this way, and to take such , steps without giving tiny notice, or giving an opportunity of being heard. fn answer to a question, Mr. Richardson said he did not know whether the warrant had actually been issued. It would have been issued, in, all probability, had he net paid the assessment immediately on reading the newspapers, and he was told that an order had come to the district to issue a distress warrant against him. The Chairman said Mr Richardson must complain of an act done. Mr. Richardson said he complained of the manner in which proceedings had been taken against him. He was made to appear, in the public prints as a defaulter, whereas he had never been asked for the mone}^. In one part of the paper his name was stated as one of a number of defaulters who had not paid assessment, and in another part of ' the paper it was stated that the de ' ! faulter O'Farrell had escaped to New I Zealand. — (Laughter.) He objected to be placed in the defaulter category. . The Chairman explained that Mr. | Richardson's name was mentioned in the discussion as to issuing distress warrants because it held a prominent position. It was at the head of the list. Mr. Kichardson : I was never asked for the money. Mr. Strode said the wording of the 122 nd clause of the Act of 1872 was very plain. Anyone who should neglect or refuse to pay within thirty days, after notice was liable to have a warrant issued by the Cominissipner of iej c*€wn Lands against him,^hd«the amount due levied by distress arid Sale. " Mr. Richardson said he had not neglected to pay within thirty days, and had not, in fact received notice Mr. Strode said the Ranger had distinctly reported the serving of the notices. Mr. Richardson considered the Board owed him an apology for the way in which he had been brought before the public, through their talking about issuing a distress warrant against nim. Further, he thought the Board should resolve that no case be heard in future without parties concerned having an opportunity of coming before the Board. Mr. Butterrworth remarked to Mr. ' Richardson that Mr Strode had told him (Mr Richardson) the law on the . matter. Mr Richardson replied that he had not received thirty days' notice, or any notice at all. He, for one, was desirous of having the money collected, and did not wish to evade payment of the. assessment. Mr Strode .: The question is whether the Board is to give an apology to Mr. Richardson. I say most emphatically, no. . " Mr Richardson said that when casec were heard, notices should be given to ail parties. . Mr Clark : We heard the Ranger report, and the least we can do is to back the Ranger up. The following minute was recorded : —".Mr Richardson having requested an apology from the Board, the Board decline to do so J" Mr ConnelL, of Messrs. Connell and Moodie, remarked that he had heard with some interest the discussion that had taken place. His own constituents bad suffered a good deal by the practice of the Board dealing with eases in their absence. He had gone to the length a fortnight ago of drafting a resolution which he propsed to submit to the Board for its acceptance, that no cases be held without notice to the parties concerned. Parries come to the Board with applications; the Board thereupon, upset former decisions, and come,! to new decisions to the prejudice ofparties

whose interests and rights were affected. Fie really thought/ the/- Board should come to a general rule Of procedure. The Chairman thought agents should observe such rules- ; themselves. Mr Connell and other ug-ents, were always endeavoring to have their business rushed through. .The/principle Mr. Connell had laid down was a good one. Mr Clark would like to know the cases in which parties had had their interest injuriously affected in their absence. . Mr Strode, too, would like to know. Mr Conell said he could make a list of such cases, but it was the principle to which he wanted to draw attention. Mr Strode said no just man, no fair man, would deny the fairness of that/ general principle. . The Chairman remarked that the Board was now sitting for the despatch of business, and that if Mr Connell would let him see, after the meeting, the rules he had referred to, he would be happy to give consideration to the matter. THE BOARD FORSTALLS AN APPLIQANT. Mr Doughty, on. behalf of Mr Black, applied to purchase sections 19 and 20, block 111, Waihola. [On this application being made, the B oard adjourned for a short private consultation.] At the last meeting of the Board Mr. Doughty applied to have the reserve taken off these sections, but his application was declined. Mr. Doughty now contended that there was no legal reserve on the sections, and he therefore made application to purchase them. * The Chief Commissioner : Since the last meeting ,the Superintendent has requested us to reserve these sections, and I approved of it under clause 35 of the Act. Last week the Board was determined to maintain the reserves, and the Superintendent's approved of it. They are therefore no longer open. Mr Doughty said the sections had remained idle ever since 1860, and the applicant proposed ftr plant them with trees. Air Clark said it would be unfair to let the land go without competition. 1 Mr Doughty replied that his client had no objection, to compete for the land If the Board would decide to sell it, let it be sold as land of especial value. The Chief Commissioner said that it would be necessary to go over all these reserves. Mr Strode: This piece of land has been reserved since 1861. It would therefore be unfair to let one person have it before the whole district knew that it was open. It was even supposed by the Board that it wps reserved until they inquired into it. A discussion ensued between members of the Board as to what were its powers under .section 35 of the Act, M r . Strode holding the opinion that the Board could absolutely reserve land, with the consent, of the Superintendent; Messrs. Bastings/ and Clark being of opinion that they could only reserve until such time as the Council would meet. The application was declined. Mr. Black: I woold like the Board to bear in mind that if Mr. Doughty had applied, as I requested him, on Wednesday last, that piece of land must'have been mine. The Chief Commissioner : Whether it would have been yours or not is a matter of opinion...