LAND TENURES COMMISSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16567, 3 June 1914, Page 2

LAND TENURES COMMISSION.

—-« [Per Pkess Association } HOKITTKA, June 2. Tho Royal Commission on timber, ' mining and land tenures, Messrs J. Strauchon (chairman), J. A. Marchant and Major Lusk, with Mr F. T. Sandford as secretary, concluded its sitting at Hokitika to-day. Tho principal witnesses protested against dual control by tho Warden's Court and the Land Board, preferring tho latter. The sawmillers required a better tenure to enable them to finance tho timber areas held, also larger timber reserves to warrant tho construction of railways to the back country. The minors wished tho right to land, to combine mining with pastoral and agricultural pursuits. Sefc"tlers desired occupation with right of purchase, or a similar title, instead of temporary grazing licenses, to enable them to make improvements and permanent homes, with resumption for mining purposes carrying compensation. They recommended that workedout sawmill areas should be burnt and grassed, and that mining tailings should be levelled whilst working to eventually becomo fruit-growing land; that whero possible superior pastoral land should be removed from the jurisdiction of the Warden's Court. The evidence showed the possibility of Westland as a gold-producing centre for companies working on a large scale, and deorecated attempts to create a boom which in the past had done harm to the industry. Tlie Commission will sit in Ross tomorrow, and in Kumara on Thursday.