LAND BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1942, 7 February 1889, Page 18

LAND BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Land Board was held on Wednesday. Present: The chief commissioner (Mr J. V. Maifcland), Messrs Dallas, Duncan, and Logan. Tuapeka East.— J. Henry applied to take up section 33, block VI, Tuapeka East, and forwarded the necessary deposit. lie inquired as to the advisability of having the section declared open for perpetual leasing.— Referred to the district land officer to report as to what improvements had been put upon the land by applicant, and the value of the same. Tiger Hircc. — An application by Josiah Ci Jones for grazing right over sections 1 , 3, ,4, 19, and 20, block I, Tiger Hill," conditionally on his keeping down rabbits.— Consideration deferred for report from district land officer. Mr W. L. Simpson, on behalf of William Keeble, of Ophir, having applied to have section 3, block I, notified as open for application under "The Land Act 1887."— Referred to the district land officer to cay if advisable to sell any portion of sections 1, 3, 4, 5, 19, and 20, block I, Tiger Hill, marked township reserve. Lkb stream.— The Government having accepted Burrender of run- 180 from Mr F. Fulton, it was decided to recommend the Governor-in-Oouncil that the run be re-offered for 10 years at upset rental of £300. WarepA.— Joseph Oumine wrote applying to have sections 7 and 8, block IX, Warepa, deleted from his perpetual lease.— Kesolved that the board cannot comply with tho request. Hebiot.— Several intending purchasers at Herlot township wrote asking that the back sections in that township should be offered for cash, the same concession having been granted at Kelso.— Referred to Banger Hughan to report. Grkenvale.— Jas. Winslade applied for permission to fence in quarry reserve No. 8, block XIV, Greenvale, adjoining his section (No. 9) on condition of his keeping down the rabbits.— Referred to the chief commissioner. Clarendon.— The steward of the village settlements reported that the following holders of sections in block XI, Clarendon, had not complied with the conditions ;— Robert Turner, section 13; John Sinclair, section 17 ; Henry Croft, section 22 ; James Davies, section 24.— Holders to be required to show cause within one month why the leases should not be forfeited for non-compliance with conditions of occupation. Oatlins.— The Chief Surveyor forwarded plans of sections 46 to 55, block 1, Catlins, with report, description, and estimated values of land.— To be forwarded to the Government for notification. Applications.— The application of John Dyers to {mrchase section 36, block IX, Glenoraaru, rural and, on perpetual lease was approved, and the application of Patrick Enrlght to purchase section 3, block V, Kawarau, under agricultural lease was recommended for the Governor's approval. Lindis.— Mr W. L. Simpson, on behalf of B. Hodgkinson, renewed his application for permission to surrender runs 233 and 335, Lindis, the rents being excessive and the country infested with rabbits. — Referred to the Government for consideration. EOXBURGH.— An application by Mr W. L. Simpson, on behalf of James Gray, for a lease of Crown lands to the extent of about one acre, between the Boxburgh bridge and the Clutha river, was declined, the land being portion of reserve. Bannookbtjbn. — An application received from Evan James for a lease of five acres in block I, Bannockburn, for coal mining purposes, was objected to by Mr S. Turton on behalf of John Pryde. The Receiver of Gold Revenue at Cromwell reported upon this that if the application was granted, Pryde would be seriously inconvenienced.— Referred to the chief surveyor to obtain report from District-sur-veyor Barron. Thb Taiebi Lakb Runs.— Mr Scobie Mackenzie, M.H.E., appeared to ask the board whether they could not reconsider decision come to with regard to runs 205 a, b, and c. These had been advertised to be relet for seven years. The residents of Hyde had asked that they should be let as small runs ; had pointed out the country to the Premier, who thought it, suitable ; and had expressed their readiness to take them up as such. He did not wish to destroy any neighbouring pastoral country ; but if the two email runs a and b alone were pub under the system it would be so much, and it would not injure the country.— Mr Maitland: Tde matter is settled bo far as tho board is concerned. The only thing to do is to appeal to the Minister of Lands.— Mr Mackenzie : I have already done so and got his answer here. I have appealed to Philip drunk and now I appeal to Philip sober.— The telegram from the Minister of Lands was as follows ;— " Runs2osA, B, and c. These runs average only 4000 aores each. Classification, Commissioners emphatically of opinion, cannot be . profitably occupied in smaller areas, and land board has decided not to alter areas " —The Chief Commissioner said it was a case solely for the Minister of Lands. Tkviot.— Mr A. S.Adams appeared re the case of R, Tubman, deceased, holder of deferred payment license for section 15, block X, Teviot.on which the conditions had been fulfilled at the date of deceased's death, 22nd October 1886. The 12 months allowed by section 118 of the Land Act within which an executor could apply to transfer the land had expired, and Mr Adams, on behalf of the trustees of the estate, now asked to state a case for the opinion of the Supreme Court as to the proper construction of section 118. He contended that under this section the representatives of a deceased selector who had fulfilled the conditions of the license up to his death were entitled to receive the whole proceeds of the sale of both land and improvements, after doducting the amount of unpaid purchase money due to the Crown by the deceased and costs and expenses of the sale.— Tlie Chief Commissioner pointed out that it might be said there was a hardship in evpry case under the deferred payment system where there was a failure to comply with the conditions, not through wilfulness oh the part of the selectors, but by misfortune. He had to submit to forfeiture. The act was very stringent with regard to forfeitures. He doubted whether the board should state a case for the Supreme Court after having Mr Haggitt's opinion that the law was quite clear on the subject, but if the board would leave the matter to him till next meeting he would consider it.— This was agreed to.