WASTE LANDS BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5561, 24 January 1879, Page 2

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

A meeting of the Waste Lands Board was held yesterday. Present —Mr. J. G. Holdsworth, Chief Commissioner (in the chair), Mr. Bunny, M.H.8.., and Mr, T. Mason. LEAVE 01' ABSENCE. A letter was read from Mr. E. Pearce stating that he was about to re-visit England, and applying for six months’ leave of absence.— Granted. THE MAUBICVILLE SETTLERS. A letter was received from the Lauds Department regarding a request of the Mauriceville settlers for permission to take up additional land on the deferred payment system. This stated that the Board had_ no power to grant such a request, as it was evident that the Land Act and Land Sales Act of 1877 did not allow deferred payment holdings to be extended, no matter how small they were. Mr. Bunny observed that if a promise to the contrary effect had been given to the Mauriceville settlers, a special Act must be introduced into the House to enable the Government to carry out that promise. WHAT IS OCCUPATION? A question was raised as to the “occupation” of land under the Immigrants Land Act by a letter from Mr. Lloyd, of Austen-street. Mr. Lloyd had taken up a town section in Palmerston, but was employed in Wellington, and he wished to know whether he would be “ occupying” the land if he built a house on it and let it to a tenant on certain conditions as to cultivation, &c. The Act clearly stated that the land must be occupied by the applicant or some member of his family, and therefore the Board was com-

pelled, with regret, to reply to Mr. Lloyd stating that he would tot be fulfilling the conditions under which he had purchased the laud if he let it to a tenant. The Board then adjourned.