LAND BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 17 August 1893, Page 22

LAND BOARD.

The weekly meeting of the Land Board held on Wednesday was attended by Messrs J. P. Maitland, (chief commissioner), W. Dallas, H. Claik, J. Duncan, and A. M'Kerrow. Glrnkenich.— Mr W. Quin, on behalf of Mr A. Orr, applied to transfer the grazing right he at present holds over portion of section 44, block X, Glenkenich district, to Mr George Heriot.— The transfer was approved. Upper Wakatipu.— Mr James George applied for the grazing right over sections 37 and 38, Block I, Upper WaJcatipu district, and also over the unoccupied Crown lands between the Dart and Rees,rivers, on the condition of his-undertak-ing to keep the land in question clear of rabbits. —Referred to Ranger Mackenzie to report. Blackstone.— Mr Hinkson Mcc applied for a giaziog right over portion of forest reserve north of section 61. block It, Blackstone district.— lt was decided that the applicant be offered a grazing license under section 116 of the Land Act at 6d per acre per annum. Kurow.— Mr W. B. Cairns applied for a renewal of hiß coal license No. 472, for three acres of coal reserve block VI, Kurow district.— The board will favourably consider an application for renewal if made at the termination of the present lease: A petition was received from settlers at Kurow requesting that block VI, Kurow township, except section 1, be made a public reserve. —It was decided to recommend the Government to comply with the request of the petitioners. A Water Supply for Queenstown.— The mayorjof Queenstown requested that sections 4 and 10, block I, Mid- Wakatipu district, be reserved for water supply for the borough of Queenstown, and placed under the control of the borough : and , also requested that the portion of land at Rere lake, Upper Wakatipu, reserved for purposes of recreation, be placed under the control of some responsible body, as damage was being done to the bush by fires, &c— Ranger Mackenzie forwarded a report on both requests.— lt was decided that ths mayor's letter and the ranger's report on the subject be sent to. the Government for favourable consideration, the land in question being of .little' value for revenue purposes, and the object desired to be attained being of very great importance. Blackstone.:— The board recommended that the following sections in block VI, Blackstone district, be notified for sale as follows:— Section 5, at 10s per acre, with 2s ■■ 6d for roading and valuation for house and paddock fence (£4O), fencing along main road (£l4 11s) ; section 7," at 12s 6J per acre, with 2s 6d for roading and valuation for fencing (£l3 l7s 6d) ; section 8, at 12i 6d per acre, with 2s 6d for roadincr and valuation for fencing (£3 4s 6d) ; Ross and Glendining to be allowed three months from. date of sale to remove or arrange with incoming tenant for fencing through eastern corner of section 8, and also western boundary of sections 7 and 8. Mr W. L. Simpson, on behalf of the owner of the adjoining property, applied to be allowed to purchase section 279, block I,' Blackstone district, under section 117 of the " Land Act 1892," * as without this portion of land he was cut off from wate'r.-rThe purchase was approved, subject to the approval of* the Minister, Ranger flugharT being appointed appraiser to fix the price of the land. Subdivision of Small Grazing Runs. — The Under-secretary for Lands forwarded for the consideration, of the board three petitions from settlers and intending settlers at White Sow Valley, Eweburn, Gimmerburn, and Naseby, praying that Runs 225, 225 a, 225 d, and 225f, Gimmerburn and Blackstone districts, be further subdivided.—The board had already resolved that a further subdivision of the small grazing runs referred to was advisable, and intended to consider the manner of their subdivision at next meeting. A petition forwarded by the Under-secretary for Lands from settlers in the same districts, praying that, Runs 235, 225 a, and 225p be offered for sate in ,the present areas and .not subdivided was received. ' , An Application to Hold Land Rent Free.— The Under-secretary for Lands forwarded a petition from Mr J. M'Leod and 18 others, who weie successful in drawing sections at the ballot on June 29 last, requesting that they might hold the land rent free until January 1, 1894, and that the six months' rent paid on application be placed to ""their credit for the six months ending June 30, 1891.— The boaid had no power to comply with the request of the petitioners, and held that there was no precedent for such action. Glenomaru^ — • An application by Richard Twort to transfer perpetual lease section 37, block ■ VI, Gle'nomaru district, to Michael Coghlin was approved, subject to all rents due being paid up. . Gkeenvaie —An appljcation by Andrew M'Kenzie to purchase sections 13 and 16, block XIV, Green vale distiict, held under perpetual leae, was recommended for the approval of the Minister. Maniototo. — Samuel Miller and Roderick M'Lean, the successful applicants for sections 1 and 2, block XVII, Maniototo district, respectively, applied to be allowed to exchange one section for the other.— The application was declined. Idabubn. — Chailes Beck applied to acquire sections 5 and' 6, block 111, Idaburn, under section 115 of "The Land Act 1892."— The application was granted ; the land to be taken up at 20s per acre, including 2s 24 per acre for roading, with valuation for fencing along main road and southern boundary of section £25 83 9d ; Messrs Dalgety and Co. to be allowed" to remove fence through the sections erected by them. Maerewh'enua.— Mr F. W. Thiele applied for exemption on his small grazing Run No. 17, Maerewhenua district.— Consideration of the application was deferred. Waipori and Tuapeka East.— The secretary of the Miners' Association wrote stating that Mr Robert Cotton had fenced in and was ploughing part of the mining feserve in block IV, Waipori district, and block XIV", Tuapeka East district.— Referred to Ranger Hughan to report.

At the- half-yearly meeting of the P. and O. Company, held on the 13th May, it was stated that the directors have recently entered into arrangements with Messrs Caird and Co. to build two new steameis for the company, which appear in the fleet list as the Japan and Caledonia. The first-named will be a large carrying passenger and cargo steamer, while the latter will be the largest and swiftest mail and passenger steamer which the company have yet built. The Japan will be at work during the autumn of the present year, but the Caledonia will not be delivered until tho latter part Of 1694.