THE LAND BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 6417, 10 October 1883, Page 2

THE LAND BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Land Board was held to-day, and was attended by Messrs Maitland (Chief Commissioner), Stout, Bradshaw, Clark, Green, and Duncan. The following letter was received from the Under-Secretary for Crown Lands :

Referring to the subdivisional surveys which, have been made* on Run 244 near Ophir, on Run 255, at thu head of Shag Valley, and to other areas of pastoral countrv which have betn similarly subdivided, I have to inform you that it was the intention of the Government to deal with the country in question under the provisions of the Land Bill of last session, by which it was provided that pastoral tenants could have leases with perpetual rights of renewal and compensation for all improvements effected by them. By this means it was anticipated that a permanent class of settlers would be secured for he pastoral lands of the Colonv. As, however, that Bill did not become law, there "remain two courses open by which the country can be dealt with : (Ist) Either to lease the runs for a period of twentyone years under the Act of 1882, value for improv ;- mentis bfcinpr allowed up to three years' rental; or (2nd) To lease them for a short period of, say, three years, so as to have the leases falling in on the 28tl\ Februarv, ISSC. This would allow time for the Bill o£ ISS3 to be apain considered by tbo Legislature. In the opinion of Mr llollcston the second course is tie more desirable one to adopt, and I am directed to request you to bring the question before the Board for an expression of its opinion on the subject.

Mr Stout moved that the suggestion of the Minister should be adopted.—Mr Green moved and Mr Clark seconded as an amendment that the Board agree to the proposal with reference to Run 244, but that with regard to Run 255 the previous resolution of the Board to open it under the pastoral deferred-payment system be adhered to.—The amendment was lost, and it was decided to offer the licenses of the runs for two years from March 1, 1884, at an upset of 6d per acre. On the motion of Mr Stout, seconded by Mr Green, it was resolved "That this Board regret that the provisions of the Land Bill recently before Parliament, giving power to lease small runs, and limiting the holding of one person to one run, were rejected; and would point out that these provisions, as well as power to give licenses for one or two years of lands reserved for settlement, should be enacted in an amending Bill." Mr Stout moved—"That the Board on Wednesday, the 31st October, at 2 p.m., at the Land Board Office, Dunedin, proceed to inquire whether the following licensees under the pastoral deferred-payment system have or have not fulfilled the conditions of their licenses :—John Watson, Ecction 2, block 4, Silver Peak (2,334 acres); Charlea Kiggins, section 1, block 5, do (2,517 acres); William Higgins, section 1, block 4, do (993 acres) ; W. W. Francis, section 2, block 4, and section 2, block 5, do (4,163 acres); Robert Borthwick, section 1, block 9, do (3,848 acres); H. N. Hertslet, section 1, block 7, Waikouaiti (3,802 acres); and that the Chief Commissioner do issue summonses to the licensees named, and also to G. W. Pogson, J. Smith, M. C. Orbell, and tbo rangers of the Board." He had noticed that it had been said it was not the function of the Board to inquire into this business. He held the opinion that it was, even if the Amendment Act had not been passed, the Board having practically begun the inquiry when the Strath Taieri cases were before them. He suggested that the Chief Commissioner should get from Wellington the evidence given before the. Select Committee there.— The motion was carried.

C. C. Boyes applied for a lease of a narrow strip of land between sections 37, 39, and 41, block 12, Coneburn district, and the Kawarau River, for the purpose of destroying the rabbits thereon.—lt was decided to issue a license under the Reserves Act, at Is per annum, subject to tho right of the public to enter upon the land. The Minister of Lands wrote as follows to the Chief Commissioner : Sir,—l have the honor to forward herewith for the information of the Land Board of Otasro (1) a copy of the report of the Committee of the House of Representatives appointed in its last session to make an inquiry into the alleged evasion of the Land Acts in the Provincial liistrict of Otago known as " dummyism"; (-2) a copy of an Act entitled the Land Board Inquiry Act, ISSo. As you are aware, the Act was passed to give effect to the recommendations contained in the second paragraph of the report of the Committee. By its provisions very ini}>ortant powers are conferred upon the land boards. It will be observed that it v, ill rest with the Board to take action under section 3 of the Act in respect of any leases which they may consider should be cancelled ; and I have to request that you will bring under their attention the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 3 of the report, and also the evidence which is appended upon the cases therein alluded to, as well as upon the other cases which were before the Committee. I shall be glad if the Board will consider the course which they propose to adopt at an early date, and the Government u ill give such assistance ?a may beJrequired to facilitate their inquiry.

The Under - secretary for Crown Lands requested that factious 4, 7, 10, and 11, block 10, and eectiona 14, 15, 16, and 17, block 7, Blackstone, Bhould ho withheld from sale until it is ascertained whether mining in the district is likely to prove permanent.—Agrepcl to. ti Messrs Council and Moodie, for bit' v. D. Bell and A. I>. Bell, licensees of Runs 109 On'd 121, applied to purchase a pre-emptive right cf 32 acres, and two of 1U acres.— Applications to.be advertised,. Meesra Connell and Moodie, on behalf of settlers at Blackstone, presented a petition asking that permission be giveJQ them to depasture their cattle on block 2, Blackstone, and block 5, Lauder.—Received. The same firm, for John Swan and John M'Phail, applied for a lease of section 29, block I), Waikaka, instead of a license under section 66 of the Land Act, IS77.—Lease to be granted lor twenty-one years at an annual rental of LI per acre, subjeei; to the condition that a tramway must be constructed within twelve ;:i:n;ths, and that the working of the pit must not bo discontinued for six months continuously. William M'Kay applied for a lease of the water reserve section between sections IS and IZ, block §, (,'rookston.—License to issue under the Public Reserves Act at .10s £er annum, subject to the right of the public to enter for water.

Ranger Hughan, reporting on the application of James M'Kay to purchase section27, block 7, Glenomaru, stated that the land is denuded of timber, and recommended that it be granted, subject to reserves for road and railway if required.—lt was resolved to ask the Public Works Department what reserve was required for railway purposes. Warden Wood transmitted an application by W. Duff to have sections 92, 93, and 94, block 5, Waitahuna East, thrown open for sale or lease, stating the land was not likely to be required for mining.—Government to be recommended to open the land for pastoral leasing for years at Is per acre—section 92 in ono lease and 93 and 9-4 in another.