WASTE LANDS BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5495, 27 June 1879, Page 6

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

The regular meeting of the Auckland "Wast Lands Board was held yesterday, at th office, Parliament-street. There were pre sent, Mr. D. A. Tole, Chief Commissione (in the chair), Messrs. B. Tonks, J. C. Firth, J. May, and W. P. Moat. Land Sales;— The Chairman reported th< reeults of the two recent land sales of town ship, suburban, and rural lands, the area: sold, and the amognt of purchase-money (The results of these salee we have alreadi published.) Mr. Firth asked the Chairmat whether he could explain how it was tha while so many applied to have am offered for sale, there so few pur. chasers ?—The Chairman said ho could nol explain it. Every precaution was taker to make applicants acquainted with the daj on which the 'sale was to take place. It might be forgetfulness on their parts, With regard to lauds left unsold at th« recent sales, it ;vas agreed that they were tc be declared open for selection. Additional. Crown Lands.—The Chairman reported that lie had received intimation from the Minister of Lands that furthoi additions had been made to the waste landa brought under the administration of the Board, in Waikawau, on the Coromandel Peninsula, 39,400 acres. Nearly all the block wa3 rough, broken, bush land, unfit for agriculture, and the best of tho timber had been taken off. There were about 1500 acres, in patches, available for settlement. There waa also a small block of 33 acres north of Te Aroha. This was swamp land, and it transpired that it was an' individualised estate, to complete the block. There was another and more important purchase, that of the Te Puke block, of 25,972 acres of valuable land. According to the report of the surveyor, the land was of fair quality, well-situated, between Maketu and Tauranga. Mr. Turner, the district surveyor, gave a detailed report of the land and its classification. The portion near the beach he estimated third-class land, that between this and the ranges first-class land, and the broken bush ranges behind as thirdclass land.—Mr. Firth corabatted the idea of timber land being only estimated as thirdclass land. Timber land should, in his opinion, be rated as first-class land.—Mr. Touks agreed with Mr. Firth, especially as there was little forest land in that district, and it was very valuable. —The Chairman said that Captain Turner's report was furnished on the basis of the capabilities of the country for agricultural purposes, The classification did | not affect the valne of the land, for they could sell none of it at less than £1 per acre.—The Chairman said that this was the block for which tho Working Men's Laud Association had petitioned. The petition which had been presented was signed by 4S settlers applying to have it set apart for small homesteads, or on tho system of deferred payments. It was that the best portion of the block ahuuld bo cut up into sections of 100 to 300 acres. —Mr. Frith suggested that 3000 acres should be opened on the deferred payment system, and the remainder in large blocks of from 200 to 300 acres.—This was agreed to. Waikato Lands. — Mr. Frith asked whether any application had been received in reply to the application to have the Waikato lands, hitherto reserved, placed under the control of the Board.—The Chairman replied in the negative. Coal Deposits.—The Chairman called attention to the fact that at last meeting an application had heen received relative to a coal discovery. Since then particulars had been received. The surveyor had seen no coal, but the place indicated was below spring-tide. Hβ reported favourably on tha situation of the alleged coal seam. The place was in North Whangaroa. A letter from Mr. Radeliffe was received recommending that the land applied for should for the present be withheld from sale. This course was agreed to by tho Board, pending further investigation. Katikati No. 2 Settlement.—A. letter had been, received from Mr. Purvis in regard to the delay in regard to the survey of the Katikati new block. The letter had been referred to Mr. G. Vesey Stewart, who now replied. Hβ excused the letter of Mr. Purvis on the ground of his being an injudicious lawyer and troubled with the cacoctkes scrlbendi. tt was agreed to inform Mr. Purvia of the action taken by tho Board. Public Hall at Wade.—A petition received from Mayor Butler and other residents of the Wade for a grant of half-an-acre as a site for a public hall and library.—The request was considered a moat moderate one, and was at once complied with. Katikati No. I.—The chief surveyor reported that there were descrepancies in the surveys of the selections in Katikati No. 1 block, there being in some instances a few acres too much, and in others too little. In tho latter cases, the difference could be ea9ily made up, but in the former, he recommended that the holders should be allowed to purchase the extra acreage in their holdings.— This was agreed to, the eettlers to be allowed to purchase the extra acreage at £1 an acre. Board of Education.— \ letter was received from the Secretary of tho Board of Education, asking for a lot of 2S perches in Ngaruawahia for a teacher's residence, aa a portion of the school reserve was swamp, and if it was encumbered with a teacher's residence the play-ground would be in dangerous proximity to the railway. — The Board could not see any reason for granting the application.—From the same source, an application was received to allow an exchange or a reserve for school purposes in the Ngaruawahia district. It was discussed and agreed to inform the applicant that as tho Board could not make the proposed exchange without an Act of the Assembly they would grant to the Board of Education the seotion asked as an extra to tho reserve.—Tho Secretary of the Board of Kducation forwarded a letter from the Cambridge East School Board stating that their school site was too small, and asking a further reservation of 1 acre 3 roods and 14 perches as a play-ground and paddock for the horses of children coming to the school.—Tho Board acceeded to the request. Thames Lands.—Mr. A. Brodie, Chairman of the Thames County Council, wrote requesting the Board to represent to the Government that certain votes should be made for the Waikawau and Te Aroha blocks for roads, &c. —Mr. Smith had reported on the application.—The Chairman thought the Board should not deal with a separate application of this sort but do as they did last year: ask the Government for a vote of £10,000 to open roads and drains.—lt was agreed to do eo, and ask tho chief surveyor to prepare a statement shewing details of proponed expenditure, to be submitted to next meeting. Taupiri Quarry. —In reference to a quarry at Taupiri, which has been occupied for railway purposes, the are* of which was rather over four acres, the general manager, Mr. A. V. Macdonald, recommended that it should be leased, as it was suitable foe concrete buildings. The railway did nut now require it, and the material could be delivered by rail at Id per ton per mile. By means of this material, concrete houses could be erected at Hamilton cheaper than wood. The Government had a large amount Df plant on it, which they would give to the Board, except the machinery and stonebreaking machine. Mr. Brown applied for the quarry, and it waa agreed to offer the lease of it for seven years. Miscellaneous.— A. number of communications relative to homesteads, and applications to have lands offered for sale, were sonsidored, and the meeting terminated.