WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1190, 19 September 1874, Page 10

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

The regular meeting of the Waste Lands Board waß held on Wednesday last. Present: the Chief Commissioner (Mr J. T. Thomson), in the chair ; and Messrs Reid, Clark, Butterworth, and Strode. TABLE HILL— APPLICATION TO PURCHASE. Messrs Gillies and Street, for Mr J. G. Grey, applied to purchase sections 2 and 4. block 1., Table Hill. Consideration of the application was ad* journed. WYNDHAM VILLAGE RESERVE — APPLICATION FOR ISLAND. Messrs Gillies and street, for Messrs Kitchen and M'Gillivray, applied for a license to occupy an island in the Wyndham Village Reserve, under the 16lBt clause, for grazing purposes. Adjourned — further information being re« quired from the parties, ako the report of the Warden. GLENKENICH DISTRICT — SAWMILL LEASES. Messrs Connell and Moodie, for Messrs Herbert, Howat, and Co., applied for a sawmill lease of 80 acres in block XIV., Glen* kenich District, to complete deficient area. It appeared that Messrs Herbert, Howat, and Co. had applied for 480 acres of bush, and only got 226. Mr Clark considered the present claim for more bush was a good one. The firm had put up expensive machinery. Mr Connell : They are getting more from England. Mr Strode said that from the facts stated by Mr Connell, Messrs Herbert, Howat, and Co. had a good claim. The matter was adjourned, and it was resolved that the Ranger be got to report. Messrs J. and W. S. M'Farlane applied for decision of Board on their application for saw- mill lease on block XIII. , Glenkenich. Messrs Connell and Moodie for applicants. Ranger Hughan reported that he did not think it desirable to grant the application ; the bush had been reserved for firewood and fencing, and several licenses had been issued. It was remarked that the bush applied for would be wanted by the people of Tapanui. Mr Connell said it would be a condition of the agreement to supply firewood at 10s per cord, and that if the lease were granted 17 chains wide would be still left between the reserve and the Tapanni township, and on the piece left the people could go in and cut firewood. The Chairman mentioned that the land applied for had been reserved by the Chief Surveyor from the first. Mr Connell : If we can bring the signatures of the business people of Tapanui in our favour will we get it ? Mr Strode : That would go a long way. Mr Connell : Then I will get them. Mr Reid : There is a nice forest at present. I think it is a great pity that the whole of it should be cut down. It Bhonld be reserved for the use of the town. I object even to woodcutters being allowed to go in and cut there. Consideration of the application was adjourned. WOODLANDS DISTRICT— EXTENSION OF TIME FOR SURVEYING LEASE. Messrs Connell and Moodie, for Messrs Guthrie and Larnach, applied for extension of time for surveying their saw-mill leases in Woodlands district. Mr Connell mentioned that there was great difficulty in getting land surveyed in that district. An extension of three months was granted. ANOTHER MILLER, JUN. Mr Walter Miller, jun., applied for the decision of the Board on his amended application for sections 28, 36, 37, block IV., and 21, block VI., Waitahuna East. Messrs Connell and Moodie for applicant. Mr Connell said that the decision of the Board on the previous application by appli. cant was that it be forwarded for amendment. There was some doubt in the mind of the Board as to whether the land was not auriferous. There was a statement at the time that it might interfere with the waterraces, or that it might interfere with other mining interests. Mr Carew had reported on the matter. The Warden, in his report, which was read, said lie did not see that the granting of the application would interfere with existing mining rights. People in the neighbourhood objected to the purchase of a small piece of bush, which he found the application did not cover, though he believed it was included in Mr Miller's application for forest tree plant* ing. The Warden, in a previous minute, of the Bth of August, said " I do not think that , the land is auriferous, but in accordance with the minute of the Board I draw attention to the large quantity of land which this applicant appears to be securing." Mr Richard Bushe, Hon. Secrstary, to the Waitahuna Miners' Association, wrote calling the attention of the Board "to the application of Mr Walter Miller, on behalf of his son, to purchase certain sections, situate in block IV., Table Hill district, and being one of the blocks set aside by the Provincial Council in April, 1872, for mining purposes. And I also understand your Board has given instructions to the Warden at Lawrence not to receive any applications situate within the reserved blocks. I would therefore urge your Board not to entertain any applications within the reserve above referred to." Mr Connell pointed out that the Warden said the application would not interrere with existing mining rights. There was some little conversation at the former meeting as ' to the age of Mr Miller's son ; he might say he was 16 years. Of course, the Board had limited each person to 400 acres, but this young man had no land in the district, and he thought there could be no objection to the application. Mr Reid said the only objection was to the peculiar way of selling it. He doubted whether they could sell to a minor. He rather thought it vested in the guardian. Mr Connell : Land vests in the infant and not in the guardian. Mr Sthode : You can sell land to a minor, but the minor cannot sell to anyone else. The Chairman : This is surrounded by endless complications, and J do not see my way to granting such a one— particularly on (bhegoldfiolds, w Bwvh torn tto k»juw is frfcfeb tJ*

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diatriot officer reported, would not like to grant the application. The officer appeared to be unwilling to recommend it thoroughly. A resolution that the receipt of the application be approved of, was carried, Messrs Butterworth and Clark dissenting. Mr Reid said this resolution did not bind the Board in any way, and the Chairman remarked that any real objections could be considered, and the application could be decided, on a Burvey being made. Mr Connell took exception, at some length,. to the way the Board was proceeding in the matter, and The Chairman replied : We can alter our procedure. QUEBNBTOWN DISTRICT — APPLICATION TOR TRAMWAY. Mr William M'Larn applied for permission to construct a tramway to a portion of the One Mile Creek bush. Mr Wheeler for applicant. The object of the tramway was to Bupply firewood to the residents of Queenstown. It appeared that applicant had no right to the bush to which he wanted a tramway. The Chairman said that a license for the bush should be applied for, and would be considered. Application for the tramway would be refused in the meantime. Application refused. ranger's report, Banger Hughan reported on the application of Mr J. F. Kitching for a saw-mill lease at the Tapanui Bush. He did not think it necessary to grant another saw-mill lease there. The lease was for the remainder of the bush, as per sketch. He was not aware of any objections to the application further than that it included nearly the whole of the available bush in the district. There was a large extent of. land in the district being thrown open for settlement, and the demand for timber increased as settlement advanced. There were already five sawmills in the district, and they were sufficient to supply the demand. The report was read, and it was resolved that it be considered with the application which would come up on the survey being made. SOUTH MOLYNEUX DISTRICT— APPLICATION TO PURCHASE SECTIONS. Messrs Begg, Shedden, and Co. applied to purchase sections 4 and 5, block 11., South Molyneux district. Resolved that they be sold by auction as land of special value, having been so long withheld from sale, and at the upset price of £2 2s per acre. ARROW — APPLICATION TO RESERVE BUSH. The Hon. Secretary to the Arrow Miners' Association wrote requesting that the remainder of "Butel's Bush" should be re■erved for the use of miners and others, The letter was read. CIiINTON — APPLICATION FOR LAND TOR SLAUGHTER- YARD. Mr Frederick Lange applied for a lease of two acres of Clinton, on which to ereot a slaughter-yard. Application referred to Banger for his report. TABLE HILL— FOBEST TREE PLANTING. Mr Thomas Murray applied for a license, under the Planting Regulations, to occupy sections 42 and 44, block 111., Table Hill. Application* referred to District Land Officer to report. WAKATIP — APPLICATION TO CONSTRUCT A • ROAD, Mr James Scully applied for permission to • construct and use a sleigh road to the terrace on the south side of Simpson's Creek, Lake Wakatip. The application was referred to the Ranger to report. WAKATIP — PERMISSION TO FORM TRAMWAY, Ranger Innes reported on tho application of Mr Edward Caspar, for permission to form a tramway into the Two-Mile Bush, Lake Wakatip. He recommended that applicant should furnish a plan, and state the time he wished to occupy. It was resolved that applicant be asked to forward survey to the Board for its consideration. CLUTHA ISLANDS— APPLICATION TO PURCHASE. Mr John M'Neil applied to purchase two islands of the Clutha, being section 20, block XXIII., Clutha district. The application was declined, and It was resolved that they be sold as land of speoial value, having been so long withheld from Bale, by auction, upset price 21s. A DROLL COMPLAINT. Mr John Hartley wrote, complaining that Mr Charles Wilson, who lives in a hut at the Quarry Reserve, Papakaio, put him to a great deal of inconvenience. The inconvenience, it further appeared, was that Hartley, who works in the quarry, has to walk a couple of miles to work, because he could not get the hut occupied by Wilson, who does not work in the quarry, to live in. It was stated that Hartley had no license for the quarry, and The matter was referred to the Ranger to report. WAITAHUNA EAST. — APPLICATION TO PURCHASE BECTIONS. Mr J. Scott renewed his application to purchase sections 27, 45, and 46, block X., Waitahuna East. The Board considered it had no power to Bell, the land having been withdrawn frem ■ale. APPLICATION TO PURCHASE UNDER AGRICULTURAL LEASE. Mr Jas. Duff applied to purchase 9 acres 1 rood and 26 poles, part of Hill's Creek township, being land held by him under agricultural lease certificate. The application was granted. THE GOLDFIELDS — APPLICATIONS TO PURCHASE LANDS. Applications to purchase lands on goldBeldß were severally dealt with as follow :— Mr Jas. Docherty, sections 8 and 9, block XX, Tuapeka East, unsurveyed. Application refused. The Government to be asked to survey block, and have the same submitted to auction if they deem fit. Win. Lowe, section 71, block V., Tuapeka East, unsurreyed. Receipt of application approved. J. Kendall, section 46, block XIX, Tuapeka East, unsurveyed. Warden Carew reported, " I kar« not inspected this land, aa

I do not think it likely the application will be granted. The Gabriel's Gully reef passes through it ; and although at present that reef is not being successfully worked, there is no doubt it will be further prospected, and possibly prove more successful within this area. I strongly advise that the Application be refused." Refused accordingly. J. Michael,' section 42, block XIX, Tuapeka East. Referred to Warden. Henry Galbraith, section 18, block VI., unmirveyed land. Receipt approved. THE WAIAU— APPLICATION FOR A PASTORAL LEASE. Mr A, Oaßsels, butcher, Orepuki, applied for a pastoral lease of land on the Waiau. There waa another applicant for the same land, and The application was merely read.