LAND BOARD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 2, 17 April 1880, Page 3

LAND BOARD.

(From the Taranaki Herald.)

The Board met on Monday. Present — The Chief Commissioner (in the chair), Messrs Barleyman, Syme, and Crompton.

RETURN OF LAND SOLD.

The Chairman read a return of land sold from the Ist February to the 31st March, which consisted of 2 suburban (5 acres), 18 rural sections (1486 acres 37 perches). Cash received — L3Bl 6s ; incomplete sales, LlOl lls 6d ; balance of deferred payments, L 2747 8s Bd. Total value sold, L 3131 6s 2d ; instalment of payments received, L 446. Total cash received, L 797 15s 2d.

DEFAULTERS.

A letter was read from Captain Wray, enclosing a return of the names of those who had not paid their instalments on the deferred payment land in the Patea district, as follows : — F. J. and G. W. Gane, E. Thurston, R. Gordon, and J. Gordon. — It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Crompton, seconded by Mr. Syme, — That the defaulters should show cause at the next meeting of the 80..rd why their respective holdings should not be forfeited. THE TOWNSHIP ON THE WADIATE PLAINS. Mr. Barleyman moved, — That the Chief Commissioner write to Majors Parris and Brown, requesting that they will ! favor the Board with their opinions as to to the suitableness or otherwise of the I site chosen for the township of the Waimate Plains, and afford / the Board any information on the subject they may be able to give. He said the site fixed upon for the township on the Plains was not a good one, and a much better site might be obtained further north. He thought at first it would be better to refer the matter to the Eoyal Commission, but to meet the wishes of th Board he would alter it to Majors Parris and Brown. Mr. Syme said the whole question amounted to the fact that the new township was thought by the settlers at Hawera i to be too close. Mr. Barleyman said he had in no way given Mr. Syme reason to think such was the case. Mr. Syme said that did not alter the case, for Hawera settlers had expressed themselves in that manner. Mr. Barleyman said he must protest against Mr. Syme stating the question in that manner. He brought the matter forward on public grounds. Mr. Syms said that might be so, but he had a perfect right to assume that the reason of the Hawera people objecting to the site was its being too close to them. He" was "under~the impression that the Surveyor- General' had given instructions that towns should not be placed further than ten miles apart, and the Chief Surveyor had carried out his instructions. When the matter was brought before the Board on a previous occasion certain members then objected to the township being placed where it was, and they were told that the Board had nothing to do with fixing the site, but all they had to do was to call it Crown land. He thought the whole matter should be left to the Government, and did not see what good could result from referring it to the Eoyal Native Commission. Mr. Crompton said he did not see that any harm could be done by the attention of the Royal Commission being called to the matter, and asked if it would be desirable to change the site. He remembered when the matter was before the Board on a previous occasion it was said that the site of the township had been fixed where it was to please the chief Manaia. The Chairman said that the Commissioners had been authorised to mark out reserves for the natives, and the aspect of the question had considerably altered since the matter was before the Board on a previous occasion. In laying out the reserves it might affect the pocition of the township, so it would perhaps be as well to refer the matter to the Commissioners. After a few further remarks bom Mr. Barleyman, the resolution was put and agreed to. The Chief Surveyor was then asked to attend, and, in reply to questions askf d, said it w s not the intention of the Government to change the present site of the township of Manaia. Mr. Parris had an idea that the natives would like a township nearer Opunake, and had telegraphed to the Government respecting the matter. He had received a reply that the site would not be altered. Manaia was about ten miles frcm Hawera, and twenty from Opunnke. His instructions were to put townships between eight and ten miles apart. There was to be another township near Oeo. Manaia, the township, would be where ths main roads would join from Nonnanby, Hawera, and Stratford — all the roads would strike direct for that town. The reason the Government were not inclined to move the site was that so much money had already been spent in surveying it. Before he had fixed upon a site some of the people there said put it further away ; and others said put it closer. The present site was a good one ; It was dry and well drained. The subject then dropped. DEFERRED PAYMENT LAND. The following applications were acceded to : — From E. Collins, of Normanby, to purchase on deferred payment 33 acres of bush land, being section No. 17, block 5, Ngaire district. — Matthew Martin, of JQC»wez"» T "to jpTaarclia.se on <lefeirre<3. payment 111 acres of rural land, section 23, block 5, Ngaire district. LAND FOR CASH. The following applications were approved of: — From Albert Watampesh, to purchase 47 acres of rural land, No. 145, Tarutangi. — From Matthew Martin, to purchase 107 acres rural land, allotment No. 22, block 5, Ngaixe.