WASTE LAND BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 489, 13 April 1861, Page 5

WASTE LAND BOARD.

A Meeting of the Waste Land Board was held on Wednesday, 10th April. Present: — The Acting- Superintendent, the Chief Commissioner, the Provincial Solicitor, Mr. J. P. Taylor, Capt. Fraser, Messrs John Jones, Thomas Dick, A. C. Strode, James Fulton, Charles Black, James Allen, Andrew Todd, Arthur Burns, and M. Gleeson. It was proposed by Mr. Taylor, seconded by Captain Fraser, and carried, — " That the standing orders be suspended, in order to bring forward a resolution as to claims for pre-emptive rights." Mr. Taylor then proposed, — "That the runholders be called upon at once to exercise their pre-emptive rights." Mr. Howorth opposed the resolution. After some discussion the motion was withdrawn.

The Chief Commissioner brought forward the case of Run No. 207, which was declared abandoned, but a rehearing of the case was granted for 13th March. No meeting was, however, held that month, and the case was adjourned till this meeting. Resolved— '' That the decision of the Board of date the 12th day of September, 1860, declaring Run No. 207 abandoned, be rescinded." The motion was carried by 6 to 5 votes. Mr. Yon Truzelniann appeared to obtain extension of time to stock Run No. 350, and produced documents to show that he had endeavoured to stock the run fully, and that stock equal to 600 sheep were now on the run. Moved by Mr. Burns, seconded by Mr. Black, and carried, — " That sufficient country should be given to the applicant under application No. 350, in accordance with the quantity of stock at present on the run, viz., 515 sheep, eight horses, and eight bullocks. Mr. Jenkinson applied to have his application for land, No. 3192, in the Waiholfi District, granted on the south-west side of section No. 16, Block V., Otokia. A motion having been carried to adjourn the case to give notice to other parties concerned, the applicant preferred that the Commissioner's decision should be confirmed. It was thereupon resolved —

" That the Chief Commissioner's decision be abided by, and the remainder of the section be put up to auction between the two applicants."

Mr. Wickens applied to be allowed to pay for the land within his surve}', under application No. 3182, for land in the North-east Valley district.

Moved by Mr. Strode, seconded by Mr. Burns, — " That the excess of land beyond that paid for under application No. 3182, be granted to; the applicant, Mr. Wickens, he having tendered the money prior to the suspension of the land sales."

Mr. Shand applied to have the surplus acreage of land at the East Taieri, granted to him at 10s. per acre.

Moved by Mr. Burns, seconded by Mr. Iloworth, — " Thit Mr. Shaud's application be granted. The price having been tendered at the Land Office."

Mr. Shand applied to have the surplus acreage in his application No. 2845, at Otago Peninsula, granted at 10s. per acre. Refused. No tender of the money having been made prior to the rise in the price of land.

Mr. Kenyon applied on behalf of Dr. Hodgkinson, for a rehearing of his case to have granted to him the surplus acreage under application No. 610.

Resolved, — "That the case of Dr. Hodgkinson be not reheard."

Mr. Kenyon applied on behalf of Mr. J. M'William to have granted to him section No. 13, Block VI., applied for by him on 2nd May 1860; the same section having been afterwards applied for by Mr. A. C. Begg on 28f;h December, 1860.

Moved by the Chief Commissioner, seconded by f the Acting Superintendent— "That the land be granted to Mr. A. C. Begg, the applicant Mr. M'William not having made any application or enquiry after the land for one month after the Ist November, when the lands were declared open for sale." Mr. Gillies applied to have the opinion of the Board as to paying assessment for the current year on obtaining a license for country. Moved by Mr. Black, seconded by Mr. Gleeson — " That it is the opinion of this Board clause 50 of the Land Regulations implies that assessment on stock should be charged for the current year in which such stock be put on the run."

Mr. Gillies applied to the Board as to a notice which he tendered to the Chief Com • missioner, and requested to have it brought forward.

The Commissioner stated that he had declined to receive the notice.

Moved by Mr. Gleeson, seconded by Mr. Taylor —

" That great inconvenience and much unnecessary labour are caused to the Land Office, by the present system of receiving applications for rural land without any obligation on the part of the applicant to take up his application, or any penalty for his failing to do so ; that the system encourages disreputable speculators to apply, wherever a particularly desirable district is thrown open for sale, without any other object than that of being bought off from bidding at the subsequent auction by the real bonafide intending occupants ; that, above all, this system places such intending bona fiide occupants at great disadvantage, and this indirectly injures the prosperity of the province by delaying the improvement of such lands ; that the Waste Land Regulations of 1866 could not have contemplated such a result but must rather be supposed to have for their object in every way to facilitate the acquieiti»n of rural land by bonafide intending occupants, and that it is therefore an act of bare justice to such persons to carry out the evident spirit of the Regulations with regard to them ; that with this view it is hereby resolved, that from and after this date no applications 'shall be received unless accompanied by a deposit of one quarter, or 25 per cent, of the upset price of the land applied for."

The motion was lost, the Board being of opinion that it had no power to make such a rule.

Mr. Kenyon applied on behalf of Captain Robertson to obtain extension of time for No. 396.

Moved by the Acting Superintendent, seconded by Mr. Fulton, and resolved — " That the time be not extended."

Mr' Kenyon applied on behalf of Mr. Crocome to obtain a grant of land for half-caste children at Waikouaiti.

The Chief Commissioner stated that this was a matter which came under the jurisdiction of the Land Claims Commissioner, and recommended that a petition to the General Government should be forwarded through him as Assistant Land Claims Commissioner.

The Commissioner requested the opinion of the Board as to the course to be taken with regard to unstocked runs. Resolved — " That all those runs for which extension had, been granted and expired, be

declared forfeited unless they have been stocked prior to this date." The Board adjourned sine die.