WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7350, 19 September 1884, Page 3

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

A special meeting of the Canterbury Waste Lands Hoard was hold at noon yesterday j present—Messrs W. Kitson (Chief Commissioner), J, Ollivier, and G. L. Leo. Tho first business was the consideration of tho case of John Bowie, tho holder of section 35158, Waikarl, under a pastoral deferred payment least!. Tho Ranger hud reported that there was only a ono-roometl cottage on the land, and that the occupant was not resident. Bowie was accordingly summoned to show cause why proceedings should not bo taken against him, under clause CD of the Lands Act, 1877, for depriving him of his license. Mr Bowie was present, and stated that ho had resided on tho land since Sept. 1, but happened to be absent at tho time of tho Hanger’s Visit. In support of his statement ho called David Robertson, who deposed that he bad built the cottage for Mr Bowie, and know that ho lived in it. Tho Board decided to accept Mr Bowie's declaration, and not to take proceedings, Mr Bowie also applied for and received three months’ leave of absence from yesterday. Tho Board then proceeded to consider tho application of William Pycroft. It appeared that some months ago Mr Pycroft, then a deferred payment selector in the occupation of section 27, Block 3, South Rakaia, containing three acres, applied for another section on tho same terms. The matter was referred by Mr Kitson to the Minister of Lands, saying that, as ho understood tho law, Mr Pycroft could not hold more than one section. The answer was that ho could do so if he occupied. Notification was given to Mr Pycroft that he could by applying to tho Board obtain another section if he occupied it. In tho meantime, however, Mr Pycroft had paid the full price of tho section ho already held, thus changing his status from that of a selector to that of a freeholder. Before ho could obtain another section it was necessary for him to pmke a declaration under the Land Act of 1877. This declaration, which is contained in clause C2 of tlie Act, contains the following passage “I do solemnly and sincerely declare that I have not at any time acquired the freehold of any land under the deferred payment system, and that I am not the holder, either in my own name, or in the name of any other person, of , and that lam not beneficially interested in, any lands of the Crown within the Colony under the deferred payment system, or under any agricultural lease, to any amount which, added,’to the acreage comprised in this present application, would exceed 320 acres in extent.” A long discussion took place between the members of the Board as to the interpretation to be put upon the foregoing words, Mr Kitson holding that Mr Pycroft, having acquired the freehold of land under the deferred payment system, could not make the declaration, and therefore could not take up any more land. Mr Ollivier, on tho other hand, held that Mr Pycroft could take up a further block of land on deferred payment provided that its area, added to the acreage he already held, did not exceed 320 acres. In the course of the conversation, the Land Act Amendment of 1879 was referred to. Mr Ollivier contending that purchasers of land in village settlements, formed under the Act, were not required to make the declaration prescribed by “The Act of 1877,” and that, moreover, a man having acquired a block of less than 50 acres in a village settlement, could go on acquiring other blocks until ho had reached the limit, of 50 acres, laid down by the Act. Mr Lee agreed with Mr Ollivier, who said that it would be well to refer tho question to the Government in order that the opinion of the law officers of tho Crown might be obtained. Mr Pycroft’s application, which was for five acres in tho village settlement of Arowhenua, was then granted. The following sales were then made : A. Hope, lot 681, one rood, viUage settlement of Arowhenua; R. H Rhodes, 10 acres rural land in Waimate County ; P. Doolan, 12 acres rural land. South Rakaia.

It was stated that no objections had been lodged to tho granting of the gold-mining leases in the Wilberforce district, and that as the time for lodging such had expired, the leases would be prepared. The following is a list of tho leases in question : H. D. Macpherson, “ Ashburton Mining Company; ” R. D. Pullar, “ Christchurch Quartz Mining Company; ” C. M'Gregor and others, “ Canterbury Quartz Mining Company j ” A. Parsons, “ Venture Quartz Mining Company;” H. Slater, “Happy Valley Quartz Mining Company ; ” W. C. Nicholls, “Moa Creek Gold-mining and Prospecting Company, Limited; ” J. Hossack, “ Hossack and Co.; ” P. M. Carew, “ Irishman’s Quartz Mining Company ; ” J. P. -O’Callaghan, “North Creek Goldmining Company; ” John Smith, “ Macphorson’s Quartz Mining Company; ” E, Sullivan, “ Unknown Quartz Mining Company ; ” W. H. Spackman, “ Fiery Cross Company; ” D. C. Macdonald, “Great Eastern Company.” The area applied for in each case is IGa 2r.