LAND BOARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1318, 3 June 1897, Page 7

LAND BOARD.

The usual meeting of tlje Land Board was held last week. Present —Messrs J. W. A. Marchant (Commissioner), in the chair, A. W. Hogg, J. Stevens and H. A. Field, M.’sH.B. The following applications for land were considered and approved : John Boss, Tiriraukawa; A. G. Bright, TJmutoi; W. B. York, Wainuioru ; T. E. Chamberlain, Mirimiri; A. Meech and Walter Bright, Mount Cerberus ; A. B. Stenson, Aohanga ; J. A. and A. G. Swanson, Puketoi; Edwin Hall, Tirirauk awa; L. McAlister, Malcuri; J. Hancock, Pongaroa ; W. J. Mannering, Aohanga; W. and B. Harvey, Castlepoint; Bllen Hughes, Wairoa. W. Butcher’s application for section 7, block 8, Manganui, was cancelled, he having failed to pay the required deposit. The following applications to obtain titles were approved: —J. Guyles, Ongo ; W. Hopkins, Kopuaranga ; A. 11. I. Bussell, F. Janett and A. J. Stone-Wigg, Mangaone; W. A. Donald, Waiohine; E. W. Cranstone, Mangawhero ; B. C. Wilson, Makuri; W. Hodder, Waiohine; S. J. Priest, Mangaone; J. Priest, Tararua. W. C. Condon’s title to section 21, block 9, Mangahao, was not approved, as the conditions of the Act were not complied with. The following applications to capitalise were approved : —S. J. Priest, Mangaone, and J. Priest, Tararua. J. Gower’s application to convert his tenure in the survey district of Mangahao was approved. It was decided to allow the executors of the late W. Pussel to transfer section 2, block 12, Ongo, to O. Pussel. It was decided to obtain a report from the ranger on A. 11. Herbert’s application to transfer section 37, block 7, Tararua, to G. J. Edwards. W. B. Campbell was allowed to take P. J. Gallagher into partnership in section 3, block 2, Tiriraukawa. A. Beeve’s application tg transfer section 35, block 4, Umutoi, to N. Christensen was deferred to allow tho I ranger to report. J. Beard, jun., applied to transfer section 7, block 10, Umutoi, to H. Hart. It was resolved to approve, provided the conditions are complied with. The ranger was asked to report on B. Archer’s application to transfer section 12, block 19, Mangahao, and on E. J. Dook’s to transfer section 26, block 4, Umutoi. W. B. Campbell’s application to transfer a half share of section 4, block 2, Tiriraukawa, to P. J. Gallagher was approved. It was resolved to obtain further information regarding W. A. Floyd’s application to transfer section 4, block 8, Tiriraukawa, to B. E. Adams, and to obtain the ranger’s report on G. P. Church’s application to transfer sections 9 and 10, block 10, Apiti, to W. D. M. Banks. Consideration of W. and J. S. Adams’ application to transfer section 39, block 10, Kaitawa, was deferred. It was resolved to approve the transfer of section 29, block 15, Mangahau, from E. C. W. Hawker to W. O’Donnell, and also that of section 15, block 15, Mangaone, from W. O’Donnell to B. Brown.

W. A. Stempa’s application to transfer section 27, block 3, Tiffin, to J. H. Martin was approved. It was resolved to approve the transfer of an acre of H. Fraser’s section, Pohangina Block, to the Education Board for a school site.

It was decided to ask J. Robinson to explain why he had sublet liis house on section 71, block 18, Mangahao. Mr Anderson personally applied to transfer section 12, block 4, Mangaone, to Miss Lowe. The transfer was approved. It was decided to approve J. Hancock’s application for section 9, Pongaroa Village Settlement, subject to the right of C. W. Cooke, lessee of the adjoining section, to take timber off the section. The surveyor’s report on an application to withdraw their application for section 30, block 13, Pukeokahu, owing to its rough character, being an adverse one, it was resolved to advise Messrs Theobold and Meredith' (the applicants) that the Board have no power to comply with their request. W. Norman applied to be allowed to exchange section 7, block 8, Tiriraukawa, for another section, as his was too rough. The Board will consider the matter.

Acting on the ranger’s report it was resolved not to grant J. H. Allen’s application to be allowed to select section G, block 5, Tiriraukawa, without competition. It was resolved to offer the unsold cash sections in the Ralcanui and Pongaroa Village Settlements for silo, and to withdraw the unsold sections in the Dannevirke Centennial Block for sale. The surrender of J. E. Calvert’s section, block 13, Ongo, was accepted. J. Murphy was granted leave to erect a sawmill on his section, llautapu, subject to the usual safeguards. It was resolved to ask Mr McGovern why he had dug up section 52, Hautapu, without permission. .It was resolved not to take action to enforce K. Larsen’s residence on his section, Pukeokahu. *D. G. Smeaton was allowed to leave his section, Mangaramarama, for six months.

I The ranger was instructed to call on J. I W. Thurston, Wairoa, and ask his reasons for non-compliance with the conditions on which he holds the section. It was resolved to cancel C. A. Donelly’s interest in section 16, block 1, IJmutoi, as his improvements were in arrears.

It was decided to rescind the cancellation of C. Clayton’s title to section 1, blocks 6 and 7, Hautapu, and allow him to re-occupy the land on condition that he paid the back rental within a month. The ranger was instructed to report on the action of J. Wiley in allowing P. Miller to occupy his section at Mangaramarama.

Thirteen selectors were granted extension of time to pay their arrears of rental. The Board refused to allow G. C. Burrell to surrender his section at Mount Cerberus, A. S. Bentley his section at Mangahao, Mrs A. Kelford her section at Tiriraukawa, and J. P Westh his section at Mount Cerberus.

It was resolved to agree to the cancellation of A. Kerr’s interest in section 24, block 9, Mangahao. M. Gomez was notified that he was in arrears. The Commissioner submitted a schedule of nine selectors in arrears against whom it was decided to take action.

Mr Hogg brought up the case of C. Anderson’s forfeited section 39, block 4, Mangahao, which was being advertised for sale. It was decided that if Mr Anderson paid .£7, and arranged to pay the balance, the Board would withdraw the section from sale.

B. McKenzie attended with reference to the difference between the ranger’s valuation of the improvements effected by him on section 35, block 12, Mount Cerberus, and his statutory declaration. It was resolved to put a fair market value on the improvements and ask the ranger to report again. With regard to the valuation of a section in the Wellington Fruitgrowers’ Association, it was resolved that the section had been excessively valued, and that the Commissioner should confer with the head office with a view to determining what steps should be taken to 'secure for the settlei-s a i-easonable reduction. Mr G. Hutchison, M.H.R., wrote on behalf of F. Kirk, E. Hughes, G. B. Johnston, jun., and D. Johnston asking that a reduced rental be charged for the time they held their sections in tho Momohaki Village Settlement after the forfeiture of their interests. It was decided to defer the matter vmtil the Commissioner had visited the district and reported. It was resolved to adhere to tho ranger’s valuation regarding a request for a reduction by H. F. Mason, section 11a, Momohaki Village Settlement.