THE SOUTHLAND RUNS. NEW SUBDIVISIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 25 February 1892, Page 11

THE SOUTHLAND RUNS. NEW SUBDIVISIONS.

A special meeting of the Southland Land Board was held on Friday for the purpose of receiving the report of the commissioners appointed by the Government for the purpose of reclassifying the Southland runs, the leases of which fall in on the Ist March 1893. There ■were present: Tho Chief Commissioner (Mr Williams), and Messrs Kinross, Cowan, and Fraser. The reclassification recommended by the commissioners to the Government is as Follows : —

Class I.— Pastoral lands, being lands suitable exclusively for pasturage and not capable of being used with profit in areas of less than 5000 acres :— Part of Run 15(>a1, Wairaki, 5130 acres ; part of 143», Wairaki, 3700 acres ; part of 1 13 a, Wairaki, 3400 acres ; 187 c, Wairaki, 10,100 acres ; 188n, ■Centre Hill, 10.800 acres : I!>S\, Centre Hill, 8200 xicres; l!» s c, Centre Hill, 2100 acres; I!XU and '302 \, Eyre district, 7200 acres; 302 c, Eyre, 9310 acres; 1!H», Eyre, 11, Ml acres ; l!>l.v, Eyre, 10,300 acres; ISI, Tarinsatura, 5!>74 acres; 173», Takitimo district, fiSOO acres ; 173 c, Takitimo, 15,775 -acres; 173 \, Takitimo, 11,400 acres; and 143, NVairio district, (JooO acre:.. Total area of l(i lots, 131,039 acres. , , Class ll.— Pastoral lands being suitable exclusively for pasturage, but .suitable for subdivision as small runs into areas not exceeding 5000 acres :— Part of 15'JaI, Wairaki, 1200 acres ; 187 a, Wairakia, (w2O acres ; 187n, Wairakia, 14,(500 acres ; part of 165 and part of 151U2 Waiau district, 2120 acres ; part of I(is Waiau. 1080 acres ; part of 1(35 Waiau, 1450 acres ; part of 165, Waiau, 170 acres ; part of 15(Ja2 and 15'in2, Waiau, 330 acres ; part of 156«'2, Waiau, 370 acres ; 188 a, Centre Hill, 11,2(10 acres ; 188 c, Centre Hill, 5700 acres: l!)8l). Centre Hill, WOO acres; 19U, Eyre district, 3031 acres ; 181 a, Taringatura, 0,30 acres ; 151, Taringatura, 5070 acres ; Hun 154», Taringatura, 608K acres ; U9», Hokonui, 2700 acres ; part wf 143, Hokonui, 29 10 acres; 14S,v, Hokonui, 7450 ncres ; 207, Hokonui, (iO3O acres ; 11(5a and HHc, Hokonui, 277(5 acres ; lKin, Hokonui, 5t50 acres ; \7(iA, Takitimo district. 9500 acres; 300», Takitr mo, 7150 acres ; and 17<U', Takitimo, 14,700 acres. Total area of the 21 lots, 101,472 acres. Cit.\ss III.— Pa&loral and agricultural lands, being adapted in part for pastoral and in part for agricultural purposes, but suitable for subdivision in areas not exceeding 500 acres :— Part of 15(5a1, Wairaki, lIOS acres; part of 143;), Wairaki, 5000 acres, part of U3\, Wairaki. 2200 acres ; part of 143 a, "Wairaki, 230 acres; ll'.U, Hokonui. ■1210 acres; IK!, Hokonui, 5H30 aero-,; part of IIS, Hokonui, 3i)S acres ; 11(5», Takitimo, OSSO acres.— Total area of eight lots, 25,' M acres.

In all 45 runs are dealt with, their area being 261,507 acres.

A memorandum forwarded along with therepart to the Minister states :—": — " Owing to variations in the soil, grasses, &c, convenience of existing fences, and for other reasons it has been found necessary in several instances to de-il with parts of runs for the purpose of classification. For instance, part of a run will be placed under class 3, and retained for settlement purposes, while the remainder comes under class 1, and will be immediately offered for lease. In the case of tho lands which will not again be offered the board desires to point out that as the ruuholder will not have the same inducement to keep down the rabbit pest, these animals may increase considerably before the lands are again occupied unless the Rabbit department gives special attention to such cases.

The Chief Commissioner saiel that lands under class 1 would be submitted for pastoral tenure without conditions as to improvements ; under class 2 as small grazing runs in areas not exceeding 5000 acres ; and under class 3 cut up for settlement purposes to be disposed of on the deferred payment, perpetual lease, or cash .systems. The board would take an early opportunity of subdividing the areas under classes 2 and 3. They would now have to decide the length of tenure for pastoral rims. The greater part of the area under class 1 was unimprovable or almost so, and it seemed to him advisable to let those areas for as long a term as possible, as the lessees would then be more likely to do what they could in the way of surface sowing and subdividing. They had discussed the matter before, and while Mr Kinross ? greed with him that the term should be 14 years, Mr Cjwan thought it should be shorter. Mr Fraser thought the length of tenure should depend on the nature of the land. If it were practically unimprovable he would say 14 years was a fair term. Mr Kinross said that very little Crown land suitable for taking up in areas of from 200 to 300 acres now remained — most of it in fact was only suitable for taking up in large areas. The land in class 1 was of a very inferior description, and tlie lessees had great difficulty in coping with the rabbit jjest, and could not bo expected to do anything in the way of improvements unless they had a long tenure. Upon these giounds he favoured li years as a fair compromise between 21 years and a less period. Mr Cowan suggested th.it seven years would be n fair ("vm, and v.hen Hie runs were last let the rabbit post was very serious, and the minimum term then, with few exceptions, was 10 years. Now the high country had entirely recovered from the depredations of the rabbits, rendering the

pastoral lands of greater value to the State. He did not anticipate that there would be any marked increase in the returns whfii the runs were put up next year, but in seven years' time they would bo very much more valuable, and as settlement progressed areas at present considered inaccessible would be readily taken up. He therefore favoured a seven years? tenure.

The Chief Commissioner said that much of the land in class 1 was of a crumbling, clayey nature, and in winter time the snow and pin washed down the mountain sides. Although, the rabbit pest was not so bad as it had been, ifc was only by the exercise of the utmost vigilance that it was kept within bounds. Mr Cowan remarked that on the high country which would not carry sheep a few years ago the grass was now growing luxuriantly — it had made a marvellous recovery.

Mr Fraser considered that if this improvement was the result of a large expenditure on the part of runholders it was not a reason for reducing the tenure. Mr Cowan said tint no doubt the change was largely due to the runholders. Replying to Mr Fraser the Chief Commissioner said runs would be falling in for several years to come, but in smaller numbers than on this occasion. In 1894 there would 5*5 * be five, in 1895 four, in 1896, none, and in 1897 seven.

Mr Kinross observed that a largo portion of the land in Southland was not under the jurisdiction of the board, having been reserved for educational purposes. Mr Fraser said he would support a 14 years' tenure, as he thought they would get a higher price, and improvements were more likely to be made.

It was resolved to recommend that the tenure of the lands in class 1 be 14 years, Mr Cowan dissecting.