CROWN LANDS BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9036, 20 April 1888, Page 6

CROWN LANDS BOARD.

The regular meeting of the Crown Lands Board was held yesterday. Present: Mr. S. P. Smith, commissioner, in the chair, Dr. Campbell, Messrs. Gill and Moat. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Flax-cutting.—Mr. W. T. Rutherford, of Te Awamutu, applied for tho sole right to cut flax from the Paeroa Junction to Shaftesbury, on the Waihou River, and offered 2s 7d per ton on dressed flax and tow. Mr. T. W. Coulthard had applied in 1887 for the exclusive right to cut flax on the chain reserve on the Waihou River from the Paeroa reserve to the Ruakaka block, but this application had lapsed. The chairman said it would be a difficult thing to collect the royalty, and suggested that it should be a foregift. It was agreed to offer by auction the right to cut the flax for twelve months. Proposal to Lease Land. Alex. Bow, writing from Whangape, asked whether the Rawheteroa (Herekino) block was open for application for lease, and if so, upon what condition. He had some relatives in Australia desirous of settling in New Zealand, and this might suit their views. The chairman explained the land, which contained 1100 acres, was not good land, but it had some gum on it. It had been let to a man named Ryan, but the question now was whether they should lease it in the face of the fact that it was near a village settlement. It was decided not to lease the land.

Depasturing License.—Constable Foreman, of Helensville, sent a report re Mr, F. 1). Fenton's application . for a depasturing license over ground at Aotca, that he had made careful inquiry, and was informed that the land in question was not gum land, but sandhills. The chairman said bis own knowledge confirmed this, but it would cut out some gum lands. It was agreed to ask Mr. Fenton whether the portion excluding the gumfields would suit him, and if so, it would be offered.

Reduction of Rent.—Mr. H. N. Warner made application for reduction of rent of lot 1, township of Moleaworth, to, say £10. His depresont rental was £20, and owing to the pression of business he asked for the reduction. He had expended a large sum on the place. The lease was, it appears, one for quarry. purposes, and the chairman doubted if the Board had power to reduce the rent of a lease. The lease was sold by auction. The application was declined. Te Aroha.—The Clerk of the Town Board asked permission to open a gravel nit on the west side of the Waihou river. The place was opposite the railway station. The application was declined, and it was agreed to ask the Board to select another place. Extension of Time.—A. N. Macrae, a homestead settlor, at Mareretu asked for six months' leave of absence, ana the same extension of the time allowed for erection of a house. The request was granted. Waiotahi.— G. E. Tabrum asked to lease 20 acres of section 158, parish of Waiotahi, Opotiki. There was also an application from Mr. Frank Chapman to have section 158,' at the head of the Ohiwa river, cut up into lots of '20 to 30 acres, and thrown open for sale. This was in reference to the same land. The Whakatane County Council forwarded a plan showing existing and new roads. Settlers were enabled to ship their produce direct. The road was formed on the only available grade existing, but has not yet been surveyed. There was also an application from F. P. Drury to have section 158, Waiotahi, offered for sale by public auction. There were a number of other applications regarding the block, and it was agreed to cut tho section up into small allotments. Fishing Reserve at Whau. — Alfred Wilson applied to take up the fishing reserve at the Whau, containing two acres, at a rent of £1 16s per annum. The Chairman said he had looked into the question, and was convinced that this Board had no power to deal with it, as the land was under the control of the Road Board. The application was declined for this reason.

Kaitara. —Mr. James Baber, surveyor, forwarded an application from Mr. John Going, to purchase 80 or 100 acres in the Purua Survey District, touching on a running stream, as owing to a diversion of a road ho had been deprived of water. There was no objection to the land being sold after survey. Puni.—An Old Land Claim.—Mr. R. L. Garland, who had purchased land at Puni in 1856, said to contain 405 acres, for which he paid the sum of £560; but, on surveying it, lie found it only contained 392 acres. He at once applied to the then Superintendent of Auckland, Dr. J. L. Campbell, for redress in the shape of an extended area, and shortly afterwards proceeded to England, and he now asked the Board to give him the redress which his case required. The Chairman said there was no doubt Mr. Garland was right as to the deficiency of area, and the question was— was to stump up? He hoped it would not be the then Superintendent of the province, who received the revenue. It appeared that at that time the Provincial Government did not receive the land revenue. It was agreed to refer the letter to the Minister of Lands.

Applications for Land.—A number of applications for land were received and dealt with.

An Appeal.— Mr. A. C. Yarborough, writing from Kohukohu, under date April 11, wrote : —" Dear Sir, —Malcolm McLennan, who some five years ago took up a block of land under the homestead system at Motukaraka, was unhappily drowned at sea a fortnight ago, being washed overboard from the s.s. Staffa. He leaves a widow and four children. Mrs. McLennan, his widow, has asked me to write asking if you can have the hind conveyed to her. The improvements required were completed by Mr. McLennan before his death. It was agreed to reply that the Board could not interfere, that the law take its course.

Miscellaneous.—After the transaction of other detail business the meeting terminated.