EXPIRY OF PASTORAL LEASES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1319, 10 March 1877, Page 10

EXPIRY OF PASTORAL LEASES.

The question of dealing- with four runs, the leases of which expire early next year, came befoie the Waste Lands Board on the 7th. At a previous meeting the following memo, was received from the Chief Surveyor : — The Chief Commissioner Waste Lands Board of Otagoi Kun, No. 20. Memo!— A new topographical map of this run having now been got ready, and which I send \yith this for reference, I have to make the followin^.report : — Run No. 20, the lease of which expires in January, 1878, is net suitable for agricultural settlement. Thiscountry is exceediusjly rough and broken, the Silver Peak Mountains with numerous spurs intersect it in every direction. The area is 30,700 acres, of which about one-third is above 2000 ft. in altitude above sea' level, and so liable to be under snow; dur>ng winter, Neither is it possible owing to the peculiar shape of the- run to redivide it as one run, in 'a satisfactory manner. To do so, it is absolutely necessary that runs' 39 and 77 should he dealt with at the .same time. Leases of them expire in June '»nd July, iB7B, and t ' would therefore suggest that the final disposal of r S(ol 20 be postponed till I am in possession of the complete maps of these runs, when l' shall be in a position to' report on them all. I expect- in' a fortnight to have the map referred to. i * .1 1 W. Akthuk, Chief Surveyor. - Survey Office, Otago, February 13th, 1877. "' ' ' • The Board adjourned consideration of tHe matter until the map referred to-- by 'the Chief' Surveyor was ready. The following- memo: was read, yesterday : — - , • Memo, from Chief Surveyor. Runs 20, 39, 77, and 78. '„' ' Having since my last" report received a complete topogr iphical plan of these runs, I am now in a volition to nuke recommendations regarding the future disposal of run 20, as also of run 39, the lease of winch' expires 'jn June 30, 1875. and of runs 76' n!nd 77, leases of which expire on July 15, 1578. A. complete tiacing showing the natural features of the country" in there runs ia sent herewith for yonr information.-, In my previous report I have- staW that original run If o. 20 isjiot suitable ior agricultural purposes, and I have now to add th.it the siirie description applies to runs 39, 76, and 7". •].. have therefore to; recommend that taking vhosii ruab all fogeUier as one block of 1 pastoral country they should he redivided for re-leasing, subject to uny r<.seivat;on which may be provided under existing- Ac,>. Uhe numbers and acreage ot these new rutia are : - i Total Area. Sold Land, Net' Area I Acres. Acres. Acres Run Ko. 20 15,400 15 400 „ „ 20a 1u,250 10 250 „ „39 21,480 About 700 20*780 ' „ „76 6,150 1280 , 4,870 „ „77 10,450 ' i 6i 6 , 4 50 I do not think it would ha suitable to divide this block of country into smaller areas. Above areas iucluUo bus-h. W. Arthur, Ch ; ef Surveyor Survey Office, JDvreedin, 2bth February, 1877. Mr Gkeeit said he knew this country psrfectly well. The Chief Surveyor's report was no doubt perfectly correct as an official report. Strictly speaking thi3 country was rough, ai?d not fit for agricultural settlement, but at the name time a great deal of tbis country would sell ctt a miich higher price than Li an acre if it could be purchased in sections of from 1000 up

to 5000 acres.— Some^-thelandwjßrwiftairw to 35 miles of -Dunediiyattdf abme pf it even* within three or four mile's ooff f Dunedm. Some* of the land within these, runs was better than* the land they would see between Dunedin and Waikouaiti while travelling along the NJrfcfc road,- If there was as good% road'through-this land as there is between Dunedin and Waikouaiti, he had no doubt^Qme of it would sell at from L 8 to LlO an acre. Prom the want of roads the land was considered inaccessible, at: the [present time; but, from its close . proximity; tg Dunedin and to settlemenjts 'albng.iihe^cjjasi.ha (Mr Green) 'entertained a veiy'different'opiiiioir from that 'expressed in the Chicf 6 Survfeycßr < i memo.; to th 9 effect that they should' 'lease* the whole of this country' for depasturing purposes.; He thought the Board should seriously consider*; that although a great deal of the ;lati& niight not be" fit to" be taken up by "small, settlers^ yet there was a great deal of it that'^ number of small capitalists 1 would be glad t<y get hold of in order to'conbine agriculture with* sheep farming. , No doubt : a portion of run 2ft was, fearful country,' but atthe.same. time there were some splendid valleys in it;." If itc&old'be' sold iirblocks'or from' '1000 to §000" 'acres"; 'there? were* many people who/ wouldibe^glad^givfef morathan. £l an acreior it. > in-'sit <_ ) f :-,j<.-«iH The Chief CoanngsioijEß said *onej thing, tq be remembered was , that if r they leased it the land would still be there to'be disposed of.'; He did mot" wish to push the 'Board 1 to'la ll fle£isi6ij/: buirif the runs were to' be 'released* the f >Bo"afcb Had only two- months; to l do it in.- 1 ': That >was the.qnlyreason .why 'he .wished" the.rßoardj.tCf come to a decision. . tr , r . ',„•/ v „ ,,. !" ' Mr. 'Green' s'aad there had no'f beenlOO'acres lof land' for"' sale 1 betwee m Dunedin and'Wai- 1 kbuaififoV a longtime;* aud lf there had fo'een? numerous' applications -by petition andohher-r wise" .to ,the.Provihcil Council: to have some of; this laiuLdeclared, open, for sale. However. , ifr had always been thought to" allow" the leases to falling s'o-thatif would not : ,ber nee'ea^ sary to pay comp'eniation'to the riinholderj '*&!£ member for the district; lie .had himself : taken that view ; but now.'that^the leases wereiaßing in, he thought it would f ber a great pity , to release the whole of this land.. [" '•' ■"■ ' , ' . After a conversational discussion, .' ' '' Mr Clark* said^hat/ 'as 'had been ''pointed out, if the runs were re-leased the Board would have power to determine the leased , at ' any time. „ ■ "','/. '. . , „- ' , r „,.'{■ Mr Green said that supposing,th'e Bpafd released the laud now; notwithstanding his strong^ opinion that' a great deal of the'land should'notf be re-leased, he would be very 'chary, hereafter about taking the ■ larid^away/from- ithe-./mu-i holder. , He, considered it wpmd notibe fau'.^r-,. ,'-The r CHiiF;CoMihssi6irEß',pointed out tliafc' flie!n'ew ruhholder i w6uld'g6' : 6a''t6 the^la'na withhiseyes'open.-' ' IHT -'> .'jui'm ov.t •irSoxi r SOx Green thought' that v in'^ill 'probability! nosfronger reason:for ;ppehing ; the land foij eejo tlement would exist twelve months r hence than at'p'resent/ " " ~ '•-"•.."."■; *"""—', "■' Mr Strode pointed out that as populatio'iluycfeased the demaiid 'for 1 -land J for "ae'lilement would be greater. >' -• -f .H-rsi '• j-.V^j ?s,d , -Mr GREEJrfwould^assertiiwithdut -hesitatioa that,. had this land,been..in the , hands; of , the ; y?^* 6 £?**s, ?S J # a .fe B fcf e>' and,qp,en for aelec^ tion, L tha ' population betweek'-Duiieciin' 4! antf Waikouaiti' would'hafe mdfphan 'dou&led'dilF/ ing the last fiveyear&. -'Sut'laadticofiildnot' be> obtained injthat '■district, and the consequences: was that people^wen^ wh4rpj,they f c/fqld get, *??" v I ¥, Pleased of course tfi'& population would remain as it was." ij It~'was ! possible' that it -might decrease/^Ke'cause^Bery 5 were not so-many rg^tlers 1 h6w;bel?we&i vDiifrt edin and Waikouaiti as there were r three lot) foff yeara..ago. r .JSLp knew^a^jthe.) Messrs ' B^d^4tt f ferh4F|he^eit'iia^ would { be to'reserve certain portions^of the lai^d l in these, runs rfor agriculturaLsettlemferit; and tojg^tr some, competent persoitstp state. which were.thebest portions. '.',. '.jT^ ''-,'}' '-A 'Mt j Green said 1 that*/ speaking^nerallyfno mah !! w6uld^sayVthat' 'this'iSnd y wa? ! fit"for agr£'* cultural' settlement. 1 - 1 Neither p iwbuldi v aiiydn4 ; say ;that: the country, between 'JDlunediSa an* Waikouaiti,- or at the Halfway Bush,, was -all -fife for settlement. ., „ . . '^ !„. , „ "".' '■ It was resolved to adjourn the ' consideration of the matter fforar r a weekr • '•<":> <~iz 'U,a\.} V " '■' ' ' 1- - >■.-,, ;y