CROWN LANDS BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 6929, 1 February 1884, Page 6

CROWN LANDS BOARD.

The Tqrtnightly meeting of the Crown Lands Board yesterday. Present : Mr. D. A. Tola (Chief Commissioner- and Chairman), .Messrs. J. May, B. Tonks, W, P. Moat, and Dr. Campbell. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. Land Salus.—The Chairman reported that on the 17th inst. a land sale was held at Napier, "the lands being pastoral and rural. 24,960 acres were sold, the cash receipts being £11,669. ' Several leases were also disposed of. On the 23rd in at. he held a sale of Kawhia township, which was most successful. Fifty-nine sections were offered, all of which were sold, the receipts being £4498, or £3130 above the upset price fixed. Ormond.—The Under-Secretary of Lands wrote intimating that a voucher was forwarded for £96 2s 7d for Ormond district. Rangitoto Qctarries. —The Under Secretary of Lands wrote as to the reservation of a quarry reserve at Rangitoto for the Harbour Board. The Hon. the Minister of Lands was of opinion that it would be better for existing arrangements to continue, under which stone could be taken as required. The Government were desirous that the Harbour Board should have every facility for obtaining stone as they required it, but had no objection to the Board granting short leases of other sections so long aa they did not interfere with the Harbour Board quarries, but the Government objected to making a permanent reserve. Thames County Council.—A letter had been received from the Chairman of the Thames County Council, 'asking the Board to sell the Komata North block on the deferred payment system. The land was not at the time under the control of the Board, and the Hon. the Minister of Lands now wrote to say that as the land had been bought from a private individual it could not be sold until legislative action was taken in respect to it.

Te Apatu.—An application had been received for the purchase of lot 141, hut as these lots had been withdrawn for sale for native purposes, the application was sent on to the Minister of Lands, who now wrote that he thought it unnecessary to reserve the lot applied for.—lt was accordingly agreed to offer it for sale. Pctkekaroro.—The Road Board applied to have two roads laid off. It had been referred to the Assistant Surveyor-General, who reported that one road, which was through Crown lands, could be laid off, but in reg»rd to the other, the land belonged to the Public Works Department, and was not, properly speaking, Crown land.—lt was agreed to reply accordingly. Experimental Farm.—The Assistant Surveyor-General reported as to a site for an experimental farm, and it was agreed to reserve the land for that purpose. Wairau.—Mr. James Hempier wrote complaining of want of road accommodation to the homestead selections. The Road Board have not the means to make the road passable.—lt was agreed to forward the application to the Government, with a favourable recommendation. Prospecting License.—Heury Chamberlin applied for a license to prospect for coal over 600 acres at Raglan. He forwarded a sketch plan of the land, and the application tvas granted. Transfer.—The agent at Gisborne forwarded the necessary papers regarding the transfer of deferred payment land from Mr. Sandland to Mr. Richardaon.—There were no objections, aDd the transfer was allowed. Te Puke.—The Chairman of the local Board recommended that a landing reserve of 25 acres be offered for sale on deferred payments, as it was not likely to be required for a landing reserve.—The Chairman said this was the only land in the district over which the Board had control, and it was agreed not to offer it for sale. Saddle Island.—Mr. Coleman, on behalf of Mr. Brook, asked to be allowed to lease Saddle Island, at Mahurangi, or if the Board declined to lease it, to grant him a license to occupy it.—lt was agreed to grant the latter request, the occupancy to expire on notice to that effect being given by the Board. Manoonui.—C. Hall applied for an extension of time in which to fulfil his conditions of improvements, etc., which he had'been prevented from doing by illness.—Two years' extension of time was granted. Kauri Timber.—GeorgeHardiman offered £20 for certain kauri trees on Crown land at Hokianga, or 3d per 100 feet for the timber. There were, he said, 30 or 40 trees, mostly small.—The Chairmau said the land in question was a museum endowment, and it was the wish of the Council that it should be leased—lt was agreed to lease the land for a year. Frozen Meat Company.—The Secretary of the New Zealand Frozen Meat Company wrote that the company had determined not to purchase the lots selected between Lichfield and Napier, but requested that these sections might be reserved for stock driving purposes ; also that the Board should fence them in, and lay them in grass ; and further, that the company should be reimbursed for their outlay incurred in surveying these allotments.—lt was agreed to recommend that the reserves be made without going into the other questions. Crown Grant.—Mr. Ascher applied for a Crown grant for land at Whangarei. It was a late application, and he forwarded the necessary proofs of residence.—lt was agreed to recommend the Crown grant issue. Wairoa.—James Winfield applied for permission to take 5 acres of land for a garden to live on.—lt was agreed to inform the applicant of the lots in that district which were for sale. Application for Land.—A number of applications to have certain lands offered for I sale were received and dealt with.