Waste land Board.

Otago Witness, Issue 1461, 15 November 1879, Page 17

Waste land Board.

The weekly meeting of the Land Board was held on Wednesday, wh6n there were present : — Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), C. S. Reeves, J. Green, J. B. Bradsbaw, and H. Clark.

DEFERRED-PAYMENT LEASES.

The following applications for deferred-pay-ment leases were approved : — Robert Dunlop, section 6 ; James Thorn, section 11 j and Colin M'lntyro, section I—all1 — all of block IV, Waikaka ; Andrew Anderßon, section 9 ; Heinrich Wennerbeck, section 11, of block X, Waipahi; Wm. Scully, section 16, block IX, Waikaka.

LAWRENCE.

The Town Clerk, Lawrence, submitted the survey of water-race for water supply to the town. — The survey was ordered to be recorded.

AGRICULTURAL LEASING AT WAIKAIA.

The Warden at Switzprs reported on the petition of settlers at Waiknia, and recommended that sections 1 to 8, 13, 14, 23, 25, and 26, block I, Waikaia, thould be declared open for application under the agricultural lease system, applications to be received for same at the Warden's office up till 4th December. - The suggestion of the Warden was adopted.

AGRICULTURAL LEASES. The following certificates of application for agricultural leases were approved : — James Parks, section 4, block IV, and James M'Artbur, section 1, block VI, Leaning Rock district ; John Kerin, section 9, block 11, Cardrona ; W. A. Johnstone, sections 1 and 2, block 111, Blackstone. COAL PROSPECTING AT PRESERVATION INLEI 1 .

Messrs Dick, Bell, and Laucenson asked for a license to prospect for coal over sections 9, 10, and 11, block I, Preservation district. ,The Board havbg no power to grant a license for the purpose asked, ifc was, after discussion, agreed not to interfere with the applicants while, prospecting during a period of six months.

LAUDER DISTRICT.

The license held by licensee of section 7, block 111, Lauder district, was cancelled, the conditions of occupation not having been complied with ; and the section was ordered to be reopened for application.

OATMN'S EIVER.

Robert Andrews applied for a saw-mill license over 50 acres behind section 1, block I, Woodlands; and over 40 acres fronting Catlin's Lake.

A report by Ranger Hungerford was read on the subject, recommending that large areas only should be granted, as tho portions applied for were the choice portions of the bush.

Messrs Connell and Moodie, who appeared on behalf of the applicant, urged that he should not be required to take up a quantity of land

upon which the timber was not of use to him. The applicant applied for timber solely ; he did not want the land. After discussioß, it was agreed that if applicant would accept the areas, licensee should issue over 80 acre? in block I, Woodlands, and 70 acreß fronting the Lake, to extend over a period of three years, at the rate of 7s per annum.

DEFERRED PAYMENTS.

An application by Charles Stirling to purchase sections 29 and 30, 22 and 23, block I, Wendon district, was granted.

SUBDBBAN LANDS,

On the suggestion of the Chief Commissioner, it was decided to alter the following suburban allotments in East Gore to deferred-payment suburban allotments, and offer them at L 4 10s per acre : — Sections 8 and 9, block XX ; 1 and 9, block XXI; 3, 4. and 5, block XXIII; 1, 2, 4, aud 5. block XXIV; 10. 11. 14, 15. and 16, block XXV ; 4, 5. 6, and 7, block XXVI. The question of dealing with certain areas in the same way in the townships of Pukerau, Kelso, Waikaka, and Bastings was deferred, in view of the passing of the Land Act now under consideration in the Assembly.

ADVERTISING.

The subject of advertising came up in connection with the following memo., received pre. viously from the Under-Secretary, Wellington : — " Referring to your memo, of the 16th October, I am directed to inquire why any question as to advertising is now raised, seeing that it has been so satisfactorily carried on ever since the passing of the Land Act. If the Land Board has any specific recommendation to make with reference to advertising it should be submitted to the Government for consideration, but in making any suggestion the Board should bear in mind that a very large sum of money is at present anaually expended by the Government for advertising in connection with the Land Department." Mr Reeves said he had prepared the following resolution by way of answer to the above : —"In reply to Mr XJnder-Secretary Eliott's memo, of October 30th, this Board does not concur in the assertion therein made ' that the advertising has been satisfactorily carried out ever since the passing of the Land Act ' ; does not consider that this memo, is n reply to the resolution passed by this Board at its meeting on October 15th ; and requests the Chief Commissioner to again bring under the notice of the Minister of Lands the resolution referred to, as it would appear the said resolution has not been brought under his considerabion ; and the Board would like to be assured that the Minister considers an alteration in the present arrangements for advertising is necessary." ■ He said the Board had originally stated to the Government that in their opinion, under the Act, they had the power to advertise according to their own discretion, and had asked the Government whether it concurred in such opinion. To that query the present memorandum was no Answer whatever.

The Chairman thought the Government wanted some specific proposal from the Board as to the manner in which they considered the advertising should in future be done, the specific papers that should be advertised in, &c. This would be necessary in order that the Government should make provision for the expenditure involved.

Mr Clark said the Board ought at least to assure the Government that under the Board's control advertising would nob be allowed to become more costly. Messrs Geeen and Bbadshaw supported the resolution as it stood.

After some further discussion, Mr Clakk pointed out that the resolution was impertinent in saying that the former resolution had not been brought under the notice of the Minister at the heid of the department, and

The Chaibman agreed with this. In its preBent shape, he should be careful to record his dissent from the resolution. ■■•

Eventually it was agreed to Btrike out the portion referred to, although Mr Reeves and the other members expressed the opinion that if the Minister of Lands had Been the former resolution he certainly could not have given it consideration, else something more in the nature of a reply would have been sent.

The resolution as amended was then put and carried, the Chairman stating that of course he could not agree with it, as he had previously expressed the opinion that the advertising was conducted in a perfectly satisfactory way, and that the Government had not lost a shilling through insufficient publicity being given to any land Eale.