BUN 200, BENGER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1344, 1 September 1877, Page 11

BUN 200, BENGER.

At the last meeting of the Waste Lands Board the following report of the Lawrence District Land Officer upon the petition from residents at Miller's Flat, Horse Shoe Bend, and Moa Flat— that a block of 9000 acre 3on Eon 200, along the Clutha Eiver, and situate between the Minzion and Fruid Creeks, be open for settlement under tho agricultural lease regulations— was considered : — By arrangement, I met several of the memorialists yesterday (August 24) and travelled by- the track shown on the sketch herewith from .the Horseshoe diggings to its junction with Gardner's track, and thence by that track to the boundary of Run 170. These tracks followleadlngßpurß,andagoodviewof the whole of the country comprised within the proposed block was obtained. From Scrubby Hill to the Little Minzion Bum, for about a mile back from the river Clutha, the hills rise more or less abruptly from an altitude of 180 ft at the river to from 1000 ft. to 1400 ft above sea leveL Within the first half-mile the land, although not bad as regards the quality of the soil, is too steep and broken to be worth fencing in small areas, and only inconsiderable patches of it would be capable of any cultivation. The land north of the line AB on sketch in purely pas toral country, and within a short distance of that line sa over 1500 ft above sea level— quite unsuitable for settlement upon small areas. The highest part of the remainder of the proposed block is about point C, near where Gardner's Creek crosses the boundary of the river. From this point the conntry WLb, on the north-east side of the track, principally into the Minzion Burn, and forms long, rather narrow, but_ well-^rasued spurs, nearly the whole of which and the intervening gullies are capable, subject to the question of altitude, of being cultivated. On the south side of the track the country is mere broken, but some of the land is of very good quality, and land quite as rough and of inferior quality is occupied in other part* of this land district Excluding these portions of the proposed block to the north of line AB and south-west of line DE, which I have already referred to as unsuited for settlement in small areas, the remainder of the block (akout 5000 acres) is generally of good quality. Some portions of it are very good and well grassed. With regard to the probability of the land being occupied in a boka fide manner if made available for settlement, I understand it to be the desire of the memorialists that the land ba opened under the agricultural lease regulations, and the question must depend in a great measnre.upon the extent of the improvements that may be required to be made. . There are drawbacks to the country being profitably occupied for agricultural farms. In the first place, the altitude is from 1100 to 1400 feet above sea level, and there may be a difference of opinion whether at that elevation cereal and root crops would succeed, but the climite of the Benger is good, and a large portion of the land is a light warm soil, and ha-s a favourable northerly aspect, and I noticed flax from 4ft to 6ft high growing luxuriantly on the open bills at an altitude of 1300 ft From these facts I assume it would be reasonable to expect average crops. The land is, however, not of easy access, and is distant from a market ; and altogether Ido not consider the country suited for small agricultural farms.

As I read the agricultural lease regulations and implied covenants to leases, a lessee ia not required to make any other improvement proTided he fences his land to keep in both sheep and cattle, the provision for cultivation, planting, or other improvements being only as an alternative. The new Mines Bill now before the Legislature provides for extending agricultural leases to areas of 320 acres, and if this provision becomes law I believe the block of 5000 acres to be well suited for mixed farms of that size, and 14 or 15 families could comfortably settle on the laud. The CHAlBJf an said that Run No. 200 belonged to Captain Henderson and adjoined Messrs Cargifl and Anderson's run. The memorialists require to have a block of 9000 acfes thrown open under the agricultural lease system,' Mr Gbeen : How long would it be before we could get it surveyed ? The Chairman : It might be two or three montiuL

Mr Green : Could we get it done as quickly as that?

The Chairman: Well, it might be. Of course it. is only a matter that we can recom mend to the Government I think it would be a pity to recommend anything definite, seeing that. we are likely to have legislation which will allow of the land being opened in suitable blocks. /Mr Gbeen : The question arises whether we should not get some land surveyed into blocks o{the sizes we have reason to believe we shall be able to dispose of it in, and in order that we may have some land to put into tho market as as soon as the new Act is passed. The Chairman : We can forward this report to the Government and Jet them deal with it. p Mr Clabk : The laud is really wanted, and ita suitable for larger areas than 200 acres. W,e should recommend to the Government accordingly. • The Chairman : Say in fact that we endorse tbe Warden's report. I should be inclined to advise delay, because I am not satisfied with opening np country under the agricultural lease regalationß, under which all sorts of dodging are capable of being done. Thf Board resolved.—" That the petition and

the District Land Officer's report be forwarded to the Government, with a recommendation that it should be favourably considered, and with a suggestion that the best description of land in the block should be surveyed into areas of 200 acres, and the rougher portion into the largest areas allowed by any new Act.