CROWN LANDS BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9015, 30 March 1888, Page 6

CROWN LANDS BOARD.

The regular meeting of tho Board was held yesterday. Present: — Mr. S. Percy Smith (Commissioner), and Messrs. Moat, Penrco, Dr. Campbell. Mr. Gill, of Tauranga, the newly-appointed member of the Board, also took his seat.

The minutes of last mooting wore read and confirmed.

Homestead Lands.—The Chairman said that tho Minister of Lands had again been applied to to have certain lands opened under the Homestead Act. The following reply was received from the Under-Secretary of Lands:—"ln reply to your memo, of the 14th March, with copy of resolution of the Land Board of the Sth instant, again requesting that certain lands may be opened for selection under the homestead system, I am instructed by the Minister of Lands to state that the Government cannot? afford to give away lands. Money must be provided for roading, and if the lands are opened at a low figure, the demand for settlement and road-making can be met. 'Would you recommend that the lands in question should be notified under tho act of last session, and, if so, what price per acre." Mr. Moat said he very much regretted the Minister had taken this view. lie, however, moved that the Board defer taking any action in the matter of these Pakiri lands until next meeting, in order that the persons interested might nave an opportunity of taking any stops they might think proper. Reserves. — The Under Secretary of Lands notified certain reserves for cemetery and other purposes having been made on the recommendation of the Board.

Applications for Land.— number of applications to have land offered for side or selected were received and dealt with.

Mistaken Survey.—A report was received from the Survey Department in reference to certain timber cut by Mr. Brown, of Pakiri, under the impression given him by a private surveyor that it was on his own lanfl. He had still a quantity of timber on it. It was suggested that he should be allowed to remove this, and pay for all timber hitherto cut at 6d a hundred. The suggestion was agreed to. Leave ok Absence.—John Cully, of Rua-pc-kapeka, applied for three months' leave of absence. The request was granted. Hpkerknci Special Settlement Reserve.—Mr. H. B. Stoney, who had been requested to select a suitable site, made a report on the subject. The area was 3A acres. It was Crown land, and there was no objection, so the reserve was granted. Timber Floating Licenses.—Tho Mercury Bay Timber Company applied for the new timber floating licenses, or the return of the old ones. It was virtually an application for the renewal of the license, and it was granted. Fishing Reserve.—Mr. Alfred Wilson applied to take up two acres of a fishing reserve at the Whau, at a rental of say £1 16s per acre. The Chairman said this fishing reserve was a small corner of the canal reserve. The application was deferred to enable the Commissioner to procure further particulars. Tamatarau.—Mr. N. Murphy applied to have certain town allotments in this district offered for sale. The land was near W'liangarei, cut up into suburban allotments, and he Chairman said they could not be sold at less than £3 an acre, and the land was not worth that. He suggested the matter be left over till next meeting. This was agreed to.

Mercer.—Mr. W. F. Buckland, on behalf of Mrs. Murray, asked that section 4, block 3, Mercer, be offered for sale, burdened by £10 for improvements. The Board, at its meeting on 27th January, had resolved, on the application of Mrs. Murray, to offer the land for sale by auction. It was found that a portion of the house purchased by Mrs. Murray encroached on a section of Crown lands. The application to have this section sold subject to improvements was agreed to.

ScnooL Sites.—The secretary of the Board of Education returned tnc papers forwarded, with certain recommendations from his Board, re reservations at Peria and Fern Flat for school sites. The reserves referred to were approved of. In regard to one section at Fern Flat, it was in the occupation of a Mr. Metcalf, who claimed for his improvements, and it was agreed that it be left to the Board of Education to arrange with Mr. Metcalf. Extension ok Time.—Thomas Shove, a homestead settler, applied for twelvemonths' extension of time in which to complete his improvements. The application was granted. Timber Permit.— Elliott, of Puriri, Thames, applied for a license to cut and remove manuka from Onctai, No. 1 Block. The Chairman pointed out there was no power under tho Act to grant tho permission. He suggested that small areas be surveyed and sold. Edward Dane asked for a licence to cut firewood in Waiotahi, adjoining Te Puke special settlement. This application was considered with tho other, and it was agreed to leave it to the district surveyors to select 10-acre sections, and have them sold in the To Puko district, and in regard to Mr. Elliott's application, it was decided that a lot be offered on payment of survey charges. Accommodation Huts.—Mr. A. Underwood offered a rent of £1 a year to erect a hut or huts on the sand-hill reserves near Te Kopuru, for the accommodation of visitors during the summer months. It was agreed to grant him permission to occupy a chain square for the purpose indicated. Miscellaneous. — Several other minor applications, re homestead lands, etc., were received and dealt with.

Atuakoa Village.—An application was received from Te Puke to have this land reclassified and opened as first-class land, and it was agreed, on the motion of Mr. (Jill, that the lands be re-classified and offered for sale.

Land Selection.—Mr. Moat asked the chairman whether there were many applications for the lands declared open for selection under the new Act. "The Chairman said that during the first two days there had been 53 applications, and about £1500 worth of land had been disposed of, mostly 011 deferred payment. Applications were coming in day after day in twos and threes, but a very small proportion of the lands offered had yet been taken up.