SOUTHLAND LAND BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 17

SOUTHLAND LAND BOARD.

The ordinary meeting, held on Tuesday, February 23, was attended by the chief commissioner (Mr D. B«ron), and Messrs Kinross, M'lntyre, Baldey, and King. The Ranger reported that he valued the milling t'mber on section 20, block VIII, and section 5, block VII, Longwood, at 10s per acre — £45. Watson Bros, offered £40 for the timber. — It was resolved that the ranger's report be approved and Watson Bros, be informed of its contents. The Ranger reported that the construction of a water race through section 5, block XVI, Longwood, owned by Mr O'Connell, would not affect the improvements or the working of the section. — Warden to be asked to require the production of a survey and plan when receiving an application for water race, as the section is abont to ba leased. The Ranger reported the revaluation of improvements on section 5, block XVI, Longwood, at £265. — Section to be offered with that bnrden. The warden suggested that Charles Lynch be requested to pat in a fresh application under the M.D.T.O. Act, stating that he is aware that the whole of the land for which be applies is auriferous, and that if the application be granted he mil consent to waive any claim to compensation for land required or resumed for mining purposes, whether or not the same has ' been improved. — Opinion of the Crown solicitor to be obtained. On the recommendation of the r^n^er se*iioit - 97, Wairio, was ordered to be raopeaeS at a capital value of 10s per aorc, ant se«fion 625, Hokonui, at 12s 6d per acre, both burdened with valuation. Tht ranger reported on the petition o£ Qt«K~

mlka settlors for a bush reserve out of sawmill area 342 that there was no necessity for auoH reserve. — Resolved that the reserve be not made until the milling timber is removed. The ranger reported that the valuation of Hugh Killen's forfeited deferred payment sections 8 and 9, block XII, Oteramika, were £78 10s and £265 respectively. — Lands to be reopened at 10*, burdened with the valuations. T. Howard, residing in Invercargill, applied to be exempted from residential provisions with regard to flections 12 and 13, block XI, Longwood, stating that the roads were very bad, and that he wanted to have his children, who lived with their mother on the Motion, educated under his own control. He bad spent ovar £500 in improvements, and intended to place a substitute on the land and oarry on the improvements. — After some consideration in committee, it was resolved to hold the matter over for a fortnight. Mr R. W. Hall appeared for Mr Russell on behalf of Jane Carrie re transfer of section 24, block 11, Waikawa, from H. A. Parker to her. Mr Hall laid that Mrs Currie intended to build on the sections and improve to more than double the amount required. She also, proposed to pay Parker £12.— Adjourned for lurther inquiry by the commissioner. R. Tapper wished to give up lease of Ruu 462, Lillburn. He said that he had previously held two runs that lay between Run 482 and his homestead. These runs had been taken from him and cut up for settlement, and Run 462 was now too small to work profitably and very inconveniently situated. — Declined. An instruction was received from the department to withdraw block 111, Nokomai, from application. — Resolved to inform the Government that while the board withdrew the land, in their opinion it was not advisable to do so, as so many applications had been received from bona fide settlers, and the objtctors bad not shown sufficient reason for the withdrawal. — Mr M'lntyre desired that his emphatic protest against the withdrawal be recorded. At last meeting of the board George Beer, owiug to misrepresentation, was recommended to apply for permission to surrender hits lease. The run was forfeited on account of £97 8s 4d of arrears — Resolved that the recommendation of February 9* be rescinded, that the ranger take possession and value the improvements, and that the run be put up again. The application of John Kynaabon for a grazing license over two pieces of land at head of Fenham Creek, Waiau d-strict, was refused. F. F. Twemlow requested that the tramway through sections in block 111, Seaward Bush township, be closed — Resolved that the tramway area be included in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, block lll— i.e., that the right to close the tramway be granted. The applications of F. M'Kay for time to pay instalments dne on deferred payment section 20, blook XXV, East Gore, and of Allan Moffab for two months' time to pay rent on section 19, block VIII, Waiau (Merrivale), were granted. Warden Hawkins (Gore) wrote stating that in his opinion it would be useless to attempt to let or aell sections in Waikika town»hip, but that it would be well to keep them open for mining. — Received. Todd and Graham asked for a division of coal-mining lease No. 7 (granted for 30 years from July 1890) and for the issue of leases to each for 23 years from July 1897, with the right to cultivate the surface.— Granted accordingly. The Ranger reported that the complaint of John Newton that F. J. Dyer was not complying with the conditions upon whioh he held section 11, block V, Centre Hill, was groundlees.—Resolved that Dyer be notiSed to make double improvements on perpetual lease eeotion or reside on it, and also to comply with the conditions of his grazing lease. The Ranger reported that part of section 69, block XVI, New River Hundred, had been washed away by floods, and reoomm ended that the remainder be sold at 25s por acre. — To be offered for 14 years at £8 upset per annum. The valuation of £28 10s placed by the ranger on tbe improvements made on small grazing Run 27 was accepted ; to be opened as a pastoral run burdened accordingly. The Ranger reported that be had iuspecCed section 62. blook 11, Seaward Bush townahip, leased to John Brown, who had left the section 12 months ago, and that it was now oooupied by Thos. King; improvements valued at £45. — Brown to be informed that unless he duly complete* tbe transfer te King the lease will be forfeited. Thos. Kearney applied to be allowed to transfer section 608, Hokonui, which had been forfeited on May 26, 1896.— Board will rescind forfeiture, and will allow him to transfer on payment of arrears and obtaining a suitable transferee. ! .The following applications for land vren i granted :— Alfred Thos. Church, section 74, block VIII, Inverc&rgill Hundred ; Albert W. Peterson, sections 34, 35, block 111, Seaward Bush ; Thos. Redding, sections' 8 to 11, block XIX, Chatton ; Aliok D. Martin, sections 12 and 13, block XIX, Chatton ; Geo. B. Ward^ section 8, block VII, Longwood Village ; Alfred G. Tuneson, section 19, block XX, Invercargill Hundred. Transfers were granted as ' follows : — Sections 6 and 7, Pahia Village, from Mary A. Lynch to Robfc. A. Harrington ; sections 32a, 33a, 34, block X, Invercargill Hundred, from V. ,M. Almao to V. Almao. The Southland County Council intimated, I with regard to the petition of Makarewa i settlers re the expenditure of "thirds" on formation of Flora road, that they had been spent in accordance with proposals approved by Land Board. — Copy of letter to be sent to the petitioners. The Lake Coußty Council wrote explaining the custom of the council regarding expenditure of "thirds" accrued and accruing from deferred payment and perpetual lease lands, and requesting the board to reconsider its decision of 9th imfc. — Approved in tbe meantime ; in future section will be withheld unless previous application be made. In reply to the Wallace Council, who said that maps had been supplied in 1894 showing the proposed expenditure of "thirds" and "fourths," it was resolved that the council be informed that it will be necessary to send lithographs with each application showing fresh works proposed. The ranger reported the illegal cutting of 30 cords of firewood on a Crown section. — Offender fined £1, and ordered to pay a royalty of Is per cord.

The NaMve Land Appellate Court is now sitting at Levin, hearing claims under the Horowhenua Act. The parties represented are the Government, Sir W. Batter, Major Kemp, and Hunia's sons and daughter. The Ng*tiraukawa put in a claim, but after considerable argument the court ruled that they were not entitled to be hsard. . Niwmoand Blair's Planet Jr. Garden and Fkira 1 a>i°,empnts are in use on hundreds ol la«D»s in Acw 7;t?,Jar.d. They ate considered £reat uvtrs cf laVc^r, and no fa-mer should be without one of their Harra Koas. Dacedin.-< Ad»t