SUBDIVISION OF RUNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1324, 14 April 1877, Page 10

SUBDIVISION OF RUNS.

The question of dealing with Euns Nos. 39, 76, and 77, the leases of which expire in about12 months hence, came before the Waste Lands Board again at on Wednesday last. The following raenibers'of the Board were present : — The Chief Commissioner, Messrs Butterworth, Clark, Green, and Strode. The following petitions were presented by Mr Green: — The petition of the settlers in and around the Merton district humbly showeth that, at a meetin? held in the Mcrton schoolhouse on Apr.l 9th, the following resolution was unanimously carried — " That this meeting resolves to petition the Waste Lands Board to cut up the best of the country — say 4000 acres— into 200acre sections on deferred payment, in or around the place locally known as Thomas's Flat, and the resi of Huns 70 and 77 into sections from 500-acre sections up to 2000 acres on lease ; the 500-acre sections to be nearest the settled country. 24 signatures. We, the undersigned settlers in the Hawksbury district, respectfully solicit your Board to cause the rnns falling- in next year to be subdivided into blocks of from 500 to 5000 facrcs, in order to civa small capitalists an opportunity ef competing at auction for them. 93 signature?. A deputation of settlers from the Waikouaiti district — Messrs M'Gillvray, Bayley, and two others — were in attendance, and the Board resolved to hear them in connection with the petitions. On being called upon to express their views, Mr M'GttMVBAT said : The argument has been used against cutting up these runs that a man cannot live upon a 2(M)-acre section, or a 500 acre section, or a 1000 acre section. Now,' I say I will make a living pn a section of th^t I sort. At present lam living npon 140 acres of land very much inferior to some of the land on these runs. I am prepared, with documents which I have in my hand, to show what I am able te make out of my land. With a 500 acre section, or a 1000-acre section, I would con- ; sider a man almost.independent. I now hand' I you the papers to show what I make out of my 1 small section. The Chief Commissioner : We will take your statement as a matter of fact. Mr M'Gillivbat : I do not sell any grain or hay, or root crops. I consume it all with cattle on my ground, and I only dispose of dairy -produce. Out of 140 acres I make over £600 a year. I The Chief Commissioner : vv here is your land? Mr M'Gillivbat : In block 11,, Waikouaiti district. ■ ; Mr Gbeen : It is on the east side of the I main road. ' ' - " Mr M'Gdllivrat : I am wholly dependent on dairy produce and cattle. If the Board decide on leasing the land in blocks of 2000 acres I am prepared to give 6d an acre for a 2000 acre section of ihe worst land north of Mount Misery Creek. , Then, there is another piece, locally known as " The Sisters " and " Three O'clock," where the land could be laid off in small sections for purchase by small settlers. The Chief Commissioneb : There was a , great deal of land open for sale in the Waikouaiti Hundred for a long time, and no purchasers conld be found. Mr M'Gillivbat: That was because ihe land was covered with manuka and rocks. The.land I refer to is. much superior. If the land in the Hundred was worth LI an acre, the land I refer to i» worth L 4 an acre. The Chief Commissioner s Your observa-' I tions would refer to all the land within Runs No. V 6 and 77. . Mr M'Gilmvrat: Yes, to all land except that north of Mount Misery Creek. If the ' land is cut up into 1000 acre blocks I would be' prepared tog o as high as Is, and I will give security to fulfill the agreement. ' The Chief- Commissioner : I am glad to hear that the country is worth so much. Are there others of your opinion ? , Mr Batlei : I hold the same opinions as MrGillivray. The land that leads back to the j Silver Peaks ii high and rough, and is good ' pastoral land, but all the other land is good' and sheltered during the whole of the year. , I am confident ( all. that land would be taken up, for twice as much as it brings in at present if it were cut up into small farms of from 500 acres upwards. I believe 9d an acrs would be obtained for it ' ' The Chief • Commissioner : That would make a serious difference. - I only hope your opinion is correct Mr M'Gillivbat: I think the amount at present received for thiß land is only one quarter of its value. ■ Mr Gbeen : A large proportion of ,Mr Orbell's r land .would bring ,a great deal more than LI an acre. That is 'Bun 76, and a portion of 77. I am quite certain » great deal of that land'would bring" from L 3 to L 4 an acre if sold in ' small sections, so that men of small means who have lived ia the district for a number pf* years, and know what they can do, will be able to compete. I see that Borne people, and even some newspapers, are taking up a different view to mice. I notice the Daily Times refers to the Silver Peaks. Now, that is a different portion of the country altogether. Neither those gentlemen here nor myself have yet dealt with that portion of Gellibrand's run, ?jid so far I agree with the -writer that, if anyone said that the Silver Peaks were fit for small settlement, he would be fit to go to a lunatic asylum. Ido not think any gentleman who sits at tln3 Board would suppose that the Silver Peala are fit for settlement. Mr M'Gillivbat : I would be willing to take 2000 or 3000 acres of the Silver Peaks .country, and to give considerably more than squatters are paying for it. Mr Gbeen: This land down at Waikouaiti is fit for settlement, and will bring a very good price. Mr Batlet: There is another tract of country up the Waikouaiti River which could be made accessible l>y a road following the ! natural course of the river. If it were cut up into 500 acre sections it would be very desirable for dairy farms, and I have no doubt would bring from Is to Is 6d an acre. I believe that I this land is within Runs 76 and 77. There are patches of bush scattered through the land which would be very useful for settlement. Mr' BuTTERWOBTH : Pending fresh legislation, I. would.be opposed to granting any longer, terms than one year. I would only give an extension of one year in the case of all these run 3 now under consideration. The Chief Commissioneb : They have a year to run yet. Mr Butterwobth : I mean independently of that. In the case of Run 51 we gave termß of three years »nd seven years. Mr Green : 3?rom a statement aiade by the Chief Commissioner last week, the question in reference to Run 51 will have to come before us again. . , Mr Buttebworth: I still hold the same opinion that I expressed on a former occasion — that as in all probability there will be fresh legislation on this subject, we should hold our hand before committing ourselves to dealing with the runs at all. The Chief Commissioner : The leases of thete runs do not expire for a year. Mr Gbeen : Ths present tenants must receive notice, and the leases must be again put tip up to auction within twelve months' if it is .intended to let them as pastoral country. lam dearly of opinion that 76 and 77 Bhould not be again leased as pastoral country.

Mr Butteeworth : I think you have same arguments in support of your view there from the opinions expressed by the deputation. Still I should temporise at present. . Mr Green : To test the question, I move — "That the lessees of Runs 39, 76, and 77, re, ceive notice that it is not the intention of the' Board to re lease these runs in whole or in part at the present time." ; \ Mr Clark : I second that motion. The Chief Commissioner : The lessee of No. 1 20 has received notice that we do not intend to re-lease it, just before ths period of twelve months began. It was tjiven in January last. ' , Mr Gbeen : Unless the Board hold a very different opinion from what they .held in January last,, they cannot do otherwise than vote for my motion. I can say, without the slightest hesitation, that Run 20 is the roughest of the whole of the country we are now dealing with. Run 20 comprises the Silver Peaks, and is the very highest country we have had under consideration. Mr Clark : The question of that run came before us very hurriedly, as the time was up' immediately. Mr Butterworth : I do not think we had even a plan before us. The Chief Commissioner : It was left to the last minute, and the character of the country did not come forward. Mr Green : I have no doubt that when the Board really oomes td deal with the question of what, is to be done with that run they will agree te re-let nearly if not the whole of Run 20. Some of the land down towards Three O'clock Creek will be lit for settlement, but not until settlement has taken place farther up the' valleys in' Runs 76 and 77, so that roads can be made. If I had chosen to bring evidence, il could have brought gentlemen here who would be able to give testimony i equally as stroug as that given by the deputation as to the qualities and capabilities of the land on the opposite side of the main road. It would not take many minutes to bring in parties who live in Dunedin.who in the first instance supplied many settlers in that district with money to purchase their farms, and who would be able to testify that those men had been able to repay everything out of- the proceeds of the land tb.ey so purchased. Many settlers in that district have had to kill their young stock during the last three or four years, because their holdings are not large enough, and because it was an im-; possibility to acquire any more land in ord£r W extend their holdings, t know for a fact that' thousands of acres of this land would be taken up by people' who are already' located in the 1 district; without depending in 'any way upon the increase of settlement from other- sourcej.; Since this question cropped up, I have received letters from labour agents which strengthen me in the opinions I hold, and which corroborate' the statements I' make, that if this land, in' runs 76 and 77 were in the market, there would be very little of it. eft unpurcbased. I am' perfectly certain that the average price realised would be considerably more than LI an acre. Mr Strode : I move, as an amendment : "That notice be given to 'the lessees of runs 76 and 77 that those runs will not be ag<un leased as pastoral country, and that the other runs referred to be leased in accordance with . the boundaries defined by Mr Arthur.", „ Mr Bctterworth : For what period? , The Chief Commissioner : Perhaps this is the proper occasion to mention that, 'sT have carried- out the Board's request to obtain information as to whether it was open for the Board, under the present Act, to introduce into any leases we may grant any conditions different from those which are contained in existing leases. I have taken, advice upon tbat point, arid- Mr- Haggitt is of opinion that the Act contemplates that land -which has been previously leased should be re leased,' upon the same conditions as at first. Of course,' the Board has always the power to determine the term of years. The question came up in connection with a member of the Board suggesting that a condition might be inserted in the leases, to the effect that the lease might ' be '■ determined qri a ' years' notice. Well, Mr Haggitt is of- opinion that you could not introduce, such > condition as that ; .and that you could only do so in the case, of country not leased before. ' Mr Clabk : That is, every lease must be for ten years/ : . . The Chief Commissioner : No. The term of years is entirely in tho hands of the Board, but the .conditions must be the same as those .on which the. land was leased before. Mr Green: Suppose we gave the prenent tenants of Runs 76 and 77 notice that it is not our intention to lease the runs, and after surveying them into sections we find' some 200 or 300 acres fit,- for sheep farming,, doe3 the Crown Solicitor or the' Boaid'say that we could not let that country, for pastoral purposes 1 The Chief Commissioner: For pastoral purposes, certainly. Mr Green :Or any other purpose ? Or if we grant a lease it must be on the same terms as it was previously held, and if we require the country for settlement we must pay 2s 6d an acre compensation ? ' Mr Strode : I think that is a hypothetical case not likely to occur. Mr Green : I hope it will occur every three or four months, because it will show that we are putting the land to the most profitable purpose. As new legislation is about fo take place, it will be a pity if we do not get a clause passed allowing us to insert a condition in new leases enabling us to determine them on twelve months' notice. The Chief Commissioner: I think if there was such a clause in the Act it would do away with a great deal of our present difficulty. Run 39 now appears to be the only one in which there is any difference of opinion. Mr Clabk : I think it would be' far better to reserve the whole of the runs. There' are a great many settlers ia the North Taieri who wonld be glad to get portions of Run 39 in blocks. of from 2000 to 5000 acres, Mr Green : A good many of th 9 settlers in the ITorth Taieri will be very glad to get some more land. I believe they are situated very much the same as the Waikouaiti settlers. They have been clamorous for an extension of their properties, as they have been obliged to kill .their young stock. Mr Clark : I do not see why, we should not deal with Run 39 in the same manner as we have dealt with the others! Mr Strode : I am inclined to take the recommendation of Mr Arthur. He is o- disinterested party. Mr Green : It is only his opinion. Mr Strode : I am > inclined to • take his opinion as that of an entirely disinterested person. : The Chief Commissioner : I think' it would be well to tome to a decision iipon this question ' on sound principles which'may be followed hereafter in dealing with other runs. All are agreed that run 39 is only pastoral : country, and if we deal with it in an. exceptional manner, we should do so^ on good grounds. Contiguity to settled districts would be a good reason. Mr Clahk: That is one of the 1 reasons which inflaence me. The settlers in che West Taieri would take it up. f The Chief Commissioner:, It is indisputably pastoral country, and if we are looking forward to cutting it up toto. small runs of 1000 up to 5000 acres, is it right ' that' we should tell the '

lessee we are not going to re-lease it in wholeor, in part? r ■ • . Mr Gdakk : What we shall 'do with the run afterwards will be discussed, twelve >moLths ! hence. „ _ (j( j _ („ J The Chief Commissioner : . It. seems tg me; that if we are going to fe-lease I;h'e runin.small; blocks we should inform thepresent'less^e that' we are going to do so. - ' ; . '■ ; ' '-' j • Mr Green: We may yet resolve tosell it aIL in 1000 acre blocks. • ' ' - >*',•' Mr Green's motion was r .then agreed ,ip ; Messra Butterworth. Clark, and Green "giving: their voices in favour o( it. , ; ' ' ' ' "* ' , The following minute' was 'then recorded-:— " That notice be given to lessees of runsNos. 76, 77, and 39 ; and that these runs will not be again re Jeased for pastoral purposes in whole or in part, in terms of section 145 of the Waste Land Act, 1872." ' ' ' '