Land Board.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 18

Land Board.

The ordinary meeting of the Land Board was held on Wednesday, when there were presentMessrs J. P. Maitland (Chief Commissioner), H. Clark, J. Green, J. B. Bradshaw, J. Duncan, and R. Stout.

TAPANUI.

The Town Clerk of Tapanui applied that section 4, block XXIII, Tapanui, should be reserved for obtaining gravel from. — It was agreed <to recommend ■ the Government accordingly. Messrs Bastings, Leary, and Co., on behalf of the Borough of Tapanui, applied for permission to construct a water-race through lands adjoining the township for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants with water. The Chief Commissioner asked Mr Bastings, who appeared in support of the application, whether he wished the matter to be brought before the Board as an application for disposal. Mr Bastingrf applied in the affimative. The Chief Commissioner: It is not in a position for that. I may say that Mr Connell is here to objeot to the whole thing. Mr Bastings : All I want is that the Board shall request the ranger to report on the matter. Mr Connell appears on behalf of some residents who contend that the race will interfere with their riparian rights. Mr Connell thought that a good deal of time and trouble would be saved if the Board were at once put in possession of the objections. The Chief Commissioner said there was no application before the Board. It was brought under the 159 th section of the Land Act, and therefore the regulations must be complied with as to advertising. Mr Bastings said the town could not go to that unnecessary expense. Mr Connell said that if the Board would read his objections the matter would be settled at once.

Mr Bastings : If these objections of Mr Connell's are fatal, that ends the matter; if not, then the ranger would report, and consideration of the application might go on. I rely on section 31 of the Mines Act, and section 159 of the Land Act. Mr Stout pointed out that section 31 of the Mines Act did not allow of water being used for domestic purposes, and he doubted whether

I those purposes came under the head of indus' trial pursuits. , ' ' Mr Clark proposed that the ranger be asked to report on the matter generally. Messrs Green and Dunoan were of opinion that it would be a waste of time getting a report on the application if it could not be granted. Ultimately it was agreed to ask the ranger to report on the supply of water in the creek from which it is proposed to draw the water ; and also as to whether the diversion will injuriously affect the interests of the landowners along the banks of the creek. TEVIOT. A. J. M'Pherson applied to purchase 25 acres of the mining reserve at Coal Creek Flat, Teviot.

The Chief Commissioner stated that the Mount Benger Mining Association had passed the following resolution in reference to this application : — " That the Chairman write to the Land Board re Mr A. J. M'Pherson's application, and state that although the land applied for is not in the coal reserve it is close to M'Pherson's coal lease (where there is a large quantity of coal), only the main road — one chain wide— being between the coal lease and the land applied for ; that we believe it contains a large quantity of coal ; and that Mr M'Pherson has an agricultural lease of 200 acres within a quarter of a mile of his own house."— Mr V. Pyke supported the opinion of the Mining Association. The Board decided to decline the application,

OTAKIA.

B. Wasserbremer applied to use or lease two acres of the coast-guard reserve in block 1., Otakia district.— Refused.

WAKATIPU.

E. M'Caffrey applied for a license instead of a lease of section 16, block V, Wakatipu.— Granted.

GORDON.

The Chairman of the Gordon town district asked that some of the unsold sections in the township should be set apart for municipal purposes. — It was decided to inform the apj plicant that recreation reserves and reserves for quarries and ballast have already been made in the township, and that the Board cannot recommend the granting of reserves except for special purposes.

GLENOMABU.

Ranger Hungerford recommended that the application of the New Zealand Timber and Woodware Factories Company, for two acres for sawmill purposes of nine and six acres respectively, in blocks VI and VII, Glenom'aru, should be granted. — It was agreed to issue licenses for the areas applied. for for three years, at 7s per acre per annum, payable in advance.

FIVE-MILE OBEEK.

J. Fleming applied to purchase 150 acres on Run 245, situate' at thtf head of Five-mile Creek.— Declined, the runholder having refused to give his consent.

TABLE HILL.

J. Cumine requested that sections 2, 4,' 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9,block VIII. and sections 1, 2/ 3, and 5, block X, Table Hill, should be grouped as one allotment, and opened for application as pastoral deferred-payment land, at 20s per acre. — Declined

MANIOTOTO AND VINCENT.

G. Partridge applied to purchase 50 acres on Run 238, Ardgour. The runholder refused to give his consent, and several settlers objected to the land being granted. — The Board recommended the applicant, to apply under section 66 of the Mines Act if the land was in a special mining district.

BENGER.

The Tuapeka County Council wrote, asking that the road-line passing sections 4 to 29, block VI, Benger, should be extended to the fence running through these sections, the road having been made on a portion of the sections referred to, — The Board agreed to sanction the alteration of the road-lkie on Crown lands, providing the County Council pay for any resurvey required in consequence. ' ' GOLD-MINING LEASES. The following applications for gold-mining leases were approved :— J. Cox and E. Clifford^ sections 8 and 9, Hedgehope ; J. Cox, section 6, Hedgehope. LONGWOOD. , H. Howell applied for Bection 2, block 111, and section 1, block I, Longwood, for coalmining. —Granted. DEFERRED-PAYMENT LANDSi Leases were granted as follows :-rJane Dickison, section 28, block' l, Chatton'; Margaret Rodger, section 29, block I, Chatton. GLENKENIOH. Ranger Hughan reported that no improvements had been made on deferred-payment section 9, block XIII, Glenkenich ; and it was therefore agreed to declare the license for the same forfeited. OHATTON. D. M'Lean, the present licensee of the coal reserve on part of section 19, block 11, Chatton, not having taken up his license, A. Oldfield requested that the license should be cancelled and a fresh license granted to him.— lt was resolved — "That as the Board ha 3 never issued a license to Donald M'Lean to occupy part of reserve section 19a, block 11, Otama, and as M'Lean has paid no rent, the Board resolves that M'Lean is not entitled to occupy the said land ; and, further, that consideration of the application by A. Oldfield for the said land be deferred till the next meeting of the Board."