SOUTHLAND LAND BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 34

SOUTHLAND LAND BOARD.

The meeting held on Friday, April 14, was attended by the Chief Commissioner (Mr D. Barron), and Messrs A. Kinross, D. King, and A. Baldey. Mr Longuet, for H. Cuthbertson, requested exemption from residence. He resided about 15 chains from the land, which is seoond-class, and suitable for use- only in connection with other land.. — Granted ' exemption during the pleasure of the board. Mr Henderson appeared for Wm. Smith, whose application for sections 373 and 374, Forest Hill Hundred, had been refused on the ground that he ha^P x^reviously proved a bud settler. Mr Heridersoji pointed out that Smitjh had taken up land in the face of many monetary difficulties and had been forced by cieditors to give up his land just when he had cut all the timber, causing it to appear that he took the land Bimply to cut the timber, and then abandon the section. He was now free to make a home for himself unburdened, and had applied for land for that purpose. — Refusal rescinded and application granted. The Surveyor-general intimated his approval of the remission of the fine payable by Albert Tall on account of non-payment of rent on pastoral rur 423, Oterarmka. Edward Roberts- asked for a lease for slaughtering purposes of 20 acres of section 17, block XIV, Chatton, included in the proposed Waikaka commonage. — Government be requested to expedite the proclamation of the commonage, as the lease over same has expired.

T. A. Price offered £1 10s per annum for lease of section 69, block- XVI, New Rivei Hundred, — Ranger to report.

H. Massey and Co. requested that one license be issued for sawmill site and tramway right, Longwood, granted in December last, and surveyed together. — To be informed that separate licenses must be issued.

A. R. Hay was granted permission to erect 50 chains of fencing on blocks VI and VII, Lindhurst, held on grazing license, with right of removal. . Robert Sutherland requested that sections 9 and 10, block 11, Lillburn, be grouped when re-opened for selection. — Accordingly. The Commissioner recommended that sections 35, 36, 37, 53a, 54, block X, Invercargill Hundred, be reduced in price from 12s 6d to 10s per acre, as the land was inferior, and has been open for selection for some years. — Land j to be inspected by members of the board. He also recommended the withdrawal from selection of section 812, Hokonui, in order that th'e< timber thereon might be sold. — Accordingly. A. S. Awdry, represented by Mr R. W. Hall, applied to transfer section 5. block VII, Waiau, to R. W. R. Bradley.— Approved, subject to ranger's report. The following were nlso approved : Transfer of section 5, block XV, Longwood, from M. Flanagan to G. P. Flanagan, and transfer of section 24a, block IV, Waikawa, from the Produce and Agency Co. to James "Templcton (for whom Mr Watson appeared). Sixteen applications to surrender in order to change the tenure, from perpetual lease to leaso in perpetuity were accepted, and of two ordinary applications to surrender that of Maurice O'Donnell for section 11, block XVI, I Longwood, was accepted. Five applicants were granted time in which to pay rent, and one section was forfeited for arrears. — The commissioner was given power to deal with applications for time to pay rent. The forfeiture of section 18, block I, Lindhurst, was rescinded. -

Six tenants were granted exemption from residence for various periods.

For non-payment of rent, ranging from. i! 33 to £97, three tenants had their sections forfeited, and for different reasons two others waie similarly dealt with. ~

The County Council forwarded '^proposals for the expenditure of £348 accrued to the 'county and Invercargill Road Board. — Held over for a month.

The Surveyor-general wrote- re opening for settlement lands in blocks' XVlll to XXII, Jacob's River Hundred. — To be informed that as the land is auriferous and held partly under sawmilling aieas it is not advisable to open it to applicafton. R. Troup requested re-consideration, of hia application to be allowed to surrender section 23, block IV; Waikawa, and have it revalued. — Surrender accepted; land to be reopened at 11s per acre, burdened with £509 valuation. Jame3 M'Colgan requested that -the valuation of improvements on surrendered sections 17, 22, block XXVII, Waikawa, be increased.— ls3 per acre to. be added.

The following applications were granted: — Minnie Dey, section 4, block IX, MakarewaTownship (receiver authorised to pay over balance of valuation to C. Driscoll); Robert Sutherland, section 11, block 11, Lillburrt (valuation to be paid to H. Sutherland) ; Wm. Johnston, section 770, Hokonui (Crovdon); Alexander Carmichael, section 5, block IX, Lillburn. (subject to valuation for improvements) ; John Sullivan, section 7, block IX, Makarewa Township ; Jane M'Rae, section 840, Hokonui; Andrew O'Connor, section 97, block XX, Invercargill Hundred, Acker's Village (Minister to be asked to authorise approval of granting excess area); Robert Stuart, section 841. Hokonui ; George Reburn, section 2,. block VI r Lillburn (subject to payment of arrears); Catherine M'Kay, section 79, Eyre (balance. of valuation to Thomas Dow); Jas. R. Colyer, section 3, block XII, Campbelltown Hundred. The following -titles were granted: — John McDonald, section 17, block I, Lind hurst ; Francis Lawson, section 12, block XXV, East Gore; Thomas A. Hayes, section 35, block VII, Wafkawa (subject to ranger's report) ; M. Flanagan, section* 15, block XV, Longwood ; arid Henry Harvey, section 16, Barkly Village. An application from Robert Lee for block XI, Longwood (50 acres), under the Mining Districts Land Occupation Act was dechned. The Orepuki Mining Association had objected, and the warden's recommendation was unfavourable. An application from R. Goldsmith for block 11, Longwood district (five acres), was held over, and a similar decision was come to in respect of Michael Straw's application for l'lO acres in the same block, the matter to be again considered when the coal lease was surveyed.