Waste Lands Board.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5710, 18 December 1889, Page 2

Waste Lands Board.

; The Waste Lands Board met this morning. Present: Crown Lands Commissioner (in the chair) and Messrs Harding', Hall and Herrick.; :; y * .'. 'k" * J" ', ,'» : .' % .. ■■'•? ; -jat.'sjjEßß*e ahpbalj; -'v' ; . -'i Tbe ; Chairman said the fiTst'matter the consideration of Mr H. Baker's appeal ag*in« the Board's decision in re ballot for Selection of section I,' block" I, W&dville.-' Ho laid papers on the table incjuding.hie,, statement of the case to the head wßpp, i particulars of.,holdings ia' the Wellington*" district by certain of the' applicants/ ; minutes by the secretary, of 7 Gr6wu Lands,' *" and also a letter from Mr ■'EiiGtithttifcTiXhqr j Chairman said his enquiries elicited the fact" that G. T. Hall, J. H.,Monteith, v M.j v McGrath, and Joseph Sowry, applicants for •■? the land, were holders of perpetual in the Wellington district, and were there- ~ fore ineligible, including .-Mr Sqwry, who had drawn^the section, ,;vr.,■;(.•;•.,"xx i. £ -.. r .,",-■ - r 'j Mr Harding said a large number of residents of Woodville were canvassing'to get dummies.to apply for i this, seotion;; ,;One v * man told him at Waipukiirau.: that- he -hztfii been asked to apply-, foi the section ; the man said "he had no interest in so doing, while another was prepared, to give £160 r for the selector to vacate the seotion., ; , tl ,"■ > - The Chairman said no doubt there was a ~ lot of dummyism, but it would be better to go into the question Je aovo," and? have the land put up at auction; .it. wQold not do to put money in the land agents' pookqt. If it was worth that amount the : Government l > might "as well get the benefit of it:'.■'Hγ"!'■■ Sowry was disqualified in gettingitßeiseotion by having an interest in the Wellington district. ■ -■- ■~ l..: : -;-,.■.■■■

Mr Hall did not see that because a man held Grown land in the Wellington dietrict l . that he should be precluded from holding laud in this district.

The Chairm'au safd clause 107 of the 'Act fully dealt with the matter. This doutlec; holding was the oauee of the whole trouble ;'\l if the Act had'nt been so, no exoeption would have'•■been taken of Mr Sowry , * ii drawing.*" '• '■'■•■' ''■'■' ■■■■■ .■ ' ■ '■'< \ ■;■■■•■('■ Mr 'Hall'said if they oarried'out the Act xt it would involve the forfeiture of a large ■< acreage of land iv this district, i: i . The Chairman said that was' not' the question. The question was whether in the face of this "clause "they oould grant Mr Sowry a license for the land, lie did not nee huW they/could. . . : " . : : ; Mr Hair said the Wellington liahd Board T had done so in many instahbeß;i-;If they r could legally put up the section at auction,. I. it would be the best way. . i ..,:* i It was eventually decided to recommend :•' the Government that this section should bo' ' put up for cajgh at auotion. , ■ • > • '' .', Mr 11. Baker then interviewed the Board, and on being acquainted with thedeoitdombf • i the Board, eaid suoh a resolution was on- ' tirely contrary to the Act, which did not authorise the Board to make such a roconi- . meudation. The Board by such a resolution were inflicting an injustice to the applicants for I; the' land, -whose money would now be looked up for an indefinite period.:': ~" "•"■?;'■•,..■;■■■ ■--■•;■•• _ ■■■ •..

: The Chairman said the Board was only making , a suggestion. Besides, theie was considerable dummyiam in connection with applications for land. ' ' - Mr Baker said because some people were guilty of dummyism, lie Board would inflict an injustice to the applicants. The Board bad no power.whatever in with holding the land. He would agree to the matter being allowed to stand over, if the applicants were allowed to withdraw their money. '.'.''■ The Board decided to adhere to itij former decision, and the land will be reconitriended to be put up at auction. ' SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS IN THH ACT. The Chairman recommended the following amendments:— ■ i ■ •

Jie selection, section 1, Blook XIV., Woodville: The appeal against the Board's decision in this case appears to me to point to the conclusion that the forms of declaration under the D.P. aud P.L. systems do not meet all the requirements of the Land Act, and its amendments, and that the Board might make some representation on tho subject for the consideration of the Ministor of Lands. The deferred payment declaration takes no note of the proviso contained in sub-section 3 of section 107* neither does this make it clear whether such succeeding selections must be contiguous • vet, if this tsub-sectio:i ia road, with aeoHnn "i 1 of The Land Act, ISSB, that seemed be the intention. The perpetual lease declara tion does not state that holdinga must h" contiguous ; therefore, tf a l eseee t^^j^

his latest selection before his firet holding is discovered, he incurs no penalty.' Thete has been no single instance in this district of the case provided for by par. 5 ; yet the declaration does not touch upon what uti applicant may hold, -which may or may not ba contiguous to what is applied for. There are other anomalies oonnected with the systems, such as the disabilities of a married woman ac to holding deferred payment land; although eligible as a perpetual leaseholder, through absence of prohibition, and the fact that the holder of a small run can • hold the maximum quantity of D.P. and PX. land, if he selects the lattor first, whereas if the reverse order is adopted he is debarred from making any further selection. Mr Hail considered that many selectors ■were ignorant of the Act when they took up land. These recommendations of the Chairman were agreed to. The Chairman also recommended as follows with respect to revaluation. In considering the applications it seems to me it will be proper to take the following circumstances into consideration. In Wood•ville and other districts large sums have been spent on roads out of votes to open np Crown lande before sale, not to speak of expenditure out of deferred-thirds. Lhaye ascertained that deferred payment lands were offered at cash values, and tnat the 25 per cent, as provided for by law, was not added in all oases. The apparently high prices placed upon lands in the Woodville district are in many cases to be accounted for by the fact of the land carrying valuable totara which has since been disposed of. Before proceeding to a re-valuation, on the around it will be advisable to consider tho rUorts on the various sections, as made at the time of survey. The Board is empowered by the Act of 1889 to order re-valuations. TMs being so, it will be necessary to decide who is to pay for these. _ In the case of the perpetual lease sections in block 11, Woodville many of the selectors offered rents considerably in advance of the upset price, apparently in the belief that this wouM not increase the capital value for purpose of purchase, therefore, there is in, such cases, fair around for consideration.—Held over till next meeting for further consideration in respect tore-valuations. ;

COBBE3PONDENCE. From Patutahi Road Board with estimates for expenditure of deferred land l-Bvnnno.—Approved. Prom Ormondville (£23 5a 8d), Puketapu (£2l 6b), and Norsewood (£32 Us 6d), on same subject.—Approved. FromMaharahara Road Board, on the subject of deficiency between moneys a«>™ed and paid -The Chairman reported that the Treasury had stated there was no more money to the credit of the account, and that he bZ Written to the head office to make .fuSenquiries.-Mahabararaßoad Board to be communicated with when information X R aD aiid J. Whyte, requesting the 'Board not to Rive effect to the forfeiture decided on at late meeting, before let March next before which time they expected to be able to make satisfactory arrangements for oarrvine out oonditione of their lease.— Minister of Lands to be.communicated with. From R. Whyte, acknowledging reseipt of notice of forfeiture and asking the Board not to insist upon payment of arrears.— Similar action to be taken as in other case. From Thomas Wright, asking the Board not to insist upon the forfeiture of his seotior in tho Weber village.—Applicant had bold land during two clearing seasons, and no improvements had been effected-To be given another chance, a»d applicant to have -two years' improvemente done before next " November, or land will be forfeited. From ratrick Meagher, asking the Board his forfeiture for nou-iraprovo-informed • that if he effects SovemVnte by let of Juno next, coinp"S two years' improvements, section li-A.SK&, applying to cut flax on SSwu land. in the neighborhood of Tlntaoto village. - Granted, royalty of Steen pence to be charged per ten. Trom W. G. Whytc, uking for three 7v,« in which to pay instalments due on Sto 8™ bKk L.Veber di ß trict.-To be informed Board will extend license or allow Boad Board, requestblock 8, Wβ b h]& ftt Board ' B SSSnfflS by Board to be handed ° T From Baker and Tabuteau, applying on ■■Vi£3?of Meeen Howard Bros, to purchaee ™ excess of about 12 acres at 10s per acre, Jhathdng the price of the original selection, £&?& o<; Wakarara— Agreed to Pram D 0 Mieeen, representing that Jtaa purchased section 10, block V S^inn^-fSn|^ bTer/orfeiS, and Board unable to assist him in the matter of recovery. From Thomas Stewart, re rcs.dencp and rroui d daughter s m ?- O nTwS)er district. With reference gTteJSSLiti he had taken up unland and he did not care to go on W were applied for and granted. Hall mentioned that tho land at WaSat STlanl wa* too high the Board might recommend tho Government to lower the Pr The Board then adjourned.