LAND BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 30

LAND BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of tbe Land Board was held ! (n the board's oSi^e on Wednesday; present — the Chief Commifsionsr (Mr J. P. Maitlaud) and ; Clurk, Dallas, Duncan, and Kirkpatrick.

RaNKLEDURN.— Rangev Hughsn reported upon the complaint made by Mr John Sharp, essee of section 45, block VI, lianklebuvu district, that be had no access to his section, but tho board failed to see any just gtounrl for complaiut, as it was asserted that the complainant already had a

good road to his land. \ 'Hiuhlay.— A letter was received from Mr j Joseph White, jun . protesting against the grant- j ing of a license to Mr Alexander M'Lennan over j poition of mining rwerve, section 4, block VII, i Highlay district, without notice to the committee nf miners, and it \\ as decided to inform the writer that the yeaily luenc-e granted to the committee of miners lapsed ia December. 1597, the year's rent . flue on the Ist Januaiy, 188S, not baviDg been paid. — lv accordance with a plan forwarded by the chief surveyor, the board agreed to recom mend the Government to grant an extension to the Macraes cemetery, section 23, block I, Highlay district. Tiger Hill.— A letter from Mr John Noonc respecting bis application for leave to surrender his small grazing run lease over Run 244 c, Tiger Hill district, was received, the writer being referred to the board's letter to him of the 30tb ttU. Applications Granted.— The following application* were approved :— For rural land on tbc occupation with right of purchase system : Robert Allen, sections 7 and 11, block VI, Catlins district. To transfer lease in perpetuity : Samuel Srant to William Egan, section 65, block IV, Button district. To transfer miscellaneous lic<n£,e:' Martha White to John Frew, part of lection 19, town of Peebles. Makrewjienua. — An occupation license over section 80, block IX, Maerewhenua district, was graated to Jane H'Gsath at a rental of 2s per acre per annum. Naskby.— District-surveyov Calder reported upon the application by Mr James Brown for an acre of unsurveyed land iv thu town of Naseby. — It was decided to request the chief surveyor to have a survey effected. ! Swinburn.— An application by Mrs E. Logan for leave to acquho section 3, block XIV, Swinburn district, not now required for the purpose of U school reserve, was referred to the Education Board to say whether there was any objection. — Mr S. Ilarris was granted a yearly license to occupy the reserve in blocks IV and VII, Swinburu district, at a rental of £1. KaWaraU.— An application by Mr W. L. Simpson, on behalf of Mrs M. Macall, for a lease la peipetuity over an area of uu surveyed land 1 , 55 acre 3in extent, in blodt 111, Kawarau district, was referrea to Ranger Mackenzie for a report. Crookston.— Upon tho strength of a report from Ranger Hugban tbe board decided to require Patrick Hfckey, Annie Wilkins, P. W. Wilkins, Edward Hickey, autl Ellen Wilkins, lessees of sections 38, 40, 41, 89, and 42 respectively, in block Vlir, Crookston district, to p.bow cause within a month why their leasM should not be forfeited for non-compliance with the conditions as to improvementß and residence. Tdapeka East.— Ranger Hugban reported upon an application by Mr Henry Galbraith for a licence to occupy portion of the mining reserve opposite section 75, block V; Tuapeka East district. — A yearly license was granted over the area applied for at a rental of 10s 6d per annum. Kinloch.— Mr H. Birley's application for a tenewal ot bis lirst license over 70 acres, Kinloch, was reconsidered, and it was agreed to renew the license for two yoars, from the 28th February, for the sum of £i. Glenomaru.— Ranger Hugh an reported upou lection 38, block X, Glenomaru district, held ander the occupation with right of purchase sy&tem by Mr K. J. Miller.— Tbe lease was forfeited for non-payment of rent. The ranger wa3 Instructed to value the improvements and suggest a capital value with a view to tbe land being reopened. Eoad Lines —Tbe Vincent County Council forwarded a statement, wbicb was approved, of proposed expenditure of thirds and fourths. Maniototo.— A letter was read from Mr John Malloch in regard to tho amount allowed him as valuation for improvements upon Run 2060, Maniototo, and applying for compensation. He said that he bad agreed to accept £50 as valuation tind had declined to receive £10, which had been )proffaied by the board, as he believed he was entiiled to the JESO.— Mr Mallocb appeared in per60a before the board, and was represented also by the Hon. J. MacGregor.— The Chief Commissioner said this was an old standing thing, Which had been before the board for a series of years, extending from 1593 to 1897, and all the reports from the rangers bad been considered by the board. This was an application practically to have the question reopened. — Mr Pallas said the board had gone very fully into this matter At every stage. It was a long time Bince the matter was started, and a gDod while Since tbe thing was decided. He would move bhat the matter be not reopened.— The Chief Commissioner said that before the board offered tbe run on the 21st February 1597, with £10 they had a ranger' 15 repoit in which it Was stated that agreatproportion of the fences was Valueless, and that the whole were not worth £10. The snow fence, the ranger siid, was of no value whatever.— Mr MacGregor »aid he was in a position to bring evidence before the board whifh should satisfy them that in consequence of the large reduction they had made in the valuation the Government now received a much, larger rent than otherwise tvould have been received, so that the Government were receiving the benefit of Mr Walloon's improvements.— The Chief Commis- ( Bioner : From the fact of its havins been Dfferefl at £5? We offered it afc £20 before. —Mr MacGregor said the place hart been Dffeied at; a rent which would not have been jiven otherwise, and so the Government were leDbiving tho benefit of Mr Mallock's improvements.—The CuriiP Commissioner : We do not think that at all.— Mr MuuGregor said he had letters from people who competed for tho run, uncl who said they would not Lave given the rent otherwise. It was obvious on the face of it that in consequence of the low valuation thai; fl:ul been put on Mr Mallocb's improvements the Governiuant were rectiving a vent thfy would not otherwise have got.— The Curcr CoMMHSior-TJi did cob think that was manifest ftt till. —Mr MdcGsegur I am prepared lo show it is 30 —Mr Clalike said the rauger's Valuations were (n variably the guide for the fcoatd.— The (JiiirjF Commissioner : We perfectly despaired of letting the run .for anything. Ab last we reduced the rental to a nominal figure.— Mr DaiXaS said Mr Malloch used to pay £120 for the run, and the beard brought. the rent down to £5 in the endeavour to let it. Ifc was far more owing to the leducttoa ia the ienial lhaD to the reduction in tbe valuation that tbe run wastakeri. — Mr MacGregor could not pee any force in that, argument. He quoted from a letter from one applicant for the run who had offered £5 at the Land Board office for it, and wbo said he bad Understood there was about £50 to pay for improvements, as there was value for that amount.— Mr Dallas, in the face of that, read the ranger's report, wherein it was slated that tbe en!y improvements were the division fence between Pains 206 d and 207 d, and of it only 100 , Chains were of any value, the remaining 140

chains having been destroyed.— Mr MacGtregor quoted from a letter from Mr Ciitchley, tiie present lesse-j of the run, who wac unable to say what be wruli! have offered if the valuation had been £50, but lie would have gone up lo £15. (The pi ice at which the Jeape was sold was £24, the i.pset having been £s )— Mr Malloch. said the ranger's rtport as to fencing referred only to one end pi the run -and not to the other. There were four miles of fencing, and even if some of the fencing tint was lying down aucl broken had no vslne as. a fence it euiely had value as material. — The Chief Commissioner observed that thero was a 6 iff erenre of opinion about that. Ie wa3 12 months since this> matter was last before the board, and they must have finality.— Mr MacGregor: There is finality when iustice is done — ''he Chigf Commissioner: We consider that justice bad been do- c— Mr Malloch : You value my interest m the fencing at £10. lam quite willing to give the owners £20 if I can take it away. Will you give me the luthority ? — Mr Dallas said Mr Malloch bad had power to lemove the fence when tbe run was unoccupied — Mr Malloch : I beg pardon. It is the boundaiy fence, and I had no power to remove it. — The Chief Commissioner said the board had had this njattrr befo.c them ad nauseam, and it was too niucb lo ask ihem to reopen it.— Mr Mallocb remarked that it. was tho Government's fault that for >es.is they did not get leiit from the run, because on tbe day on which il was passed in at £120 he went iDto tbe clpik's office and said that if the upset was under £30 ho wuulj take it, but the board peisiated iv putting it up at a bigb jental.— The boaid declined to reoptiß tbe question.