WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Southland Times, Issue 2056, 22 January 1875, Page 2

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Thursday, Jai^ttabt 21. Present -The Chiof Commissioner, and Messrs Baker, Dundas, Mitchell, and Wood, it being the monthly meeting of the Board. VABIOTJS APPLICATION. Donald Morrison applied for three acres in Hokonui Hundred. Resolved— That the land be put up to auction after survey, applicant to deposit survey fee, the same to be returned in the event of applicant not becoming the purchaser. The Clerk to the Makarewa Road Board Wrote, asking the Board to sanction the alteration of a road line near the Mossburn stream. Granted, The Clerk to the Aparima Road Board wrote, enclosing a resolution of his Board, asking the sanction of the Waste Lands Board to the exchange of six acres of a nominal gravel reserve for an equal area of more suitable gravelly land. Resolved-— That the Waste Lands Board has no power to interfere in the matter. The Road Board may apply to purchase six acres of the gravel reserve referred to, and then effect the desired exchange in the usual manner. Mr Thomas M'Lean, of Forest Hill, applied to have a road passing along section 100, Forest Hill district, removed half a chain westward from the eastern boundary of ihe said road line, for the whole length of the section, excluding the improvements effected by the Road Board. Granted. Mr M'Lean further appeared, in reference to a piece of land which he had bought, and which on survey was found to contain double the estimated ncreage, and stating that he was willing to keep and pay for tho whole piece as surveyed. Agreed to by the Board. THE APPLICATIONS OP MESSES SPENCEBRO9. The case of the apnlications of Messrs Spenco Bros, for land in Taringatura and Oreti districts, was brought up for rehearing. Mr Wade, who appeared for the applicants, stated that he had sent copies of the case to all the members of the Board except the Chairman and Mr Baker, both of whom ho_ had presumed to be thoroughly conversant with the particulars. The application for a re-hearing — which ms the case — was of a two-fold nature, the first portion dealing with section 118, Taringatura district, the secoud with section 60, Oreti district. The first application— section 118, Taringatura — according to a resolution of the Board— was to bo surveyed in strict accordance with the terms of the application, but owing to a mistake on the part of the Survey Department, it had been surveyed so as to contain gome 180 acres leas than was applied for. The Chairman— lt was to be surveyed as applied for. Mr Wade— Yes ;it was applied for to oontain 3900 acres, and it has been surveyed to contain 3740 acres or thereabout. The Chairman read the applications of Mesars Spence consecutively, and showed by written figures that, tho applicants, or rather their aur.nonsed agent, inten;io<i tK» wU«i a f n nmbranfl an area of exactly 21,300 acres. Mr Wade held that the Board's resolution was to the effect that section 118 was to be surveyed slriotly us applied for, and without referenoe to any other applications. He supported his assertion by reading from his documents of particulars, his copy of the resolution, which was plainly to the effect that section 118, Taringatura district, wes to be surveyed in strict accordance with the application for said section, independent of all other applications. The Chairman referred to the minute book, and read the resolution in question, showing that section \\B, Tavinga.tura District, was to be surveyed acoor'ding to tho application to the extent of making up the balance of 2l ; 300 acres, the aggregate noted by Mr Pratt, then acting for Messrs Spence Brothers. The section had been surveyed accordingly. Mr Wade— l distinctly and emphatically declare that that resolution was not carried" on tho day in question. The Chairman — The resolution just read is the one which was carried on the day in question ; and section 118 was to balance the 21,300 acres, as applied for by Mr Pratt. Mr R. Bpence— The 21,300 acres have nothing to do with the application ; the aggregate was altered to that afterwards. The Chairman— And at whose request ? , Mr Wade— Possibly at Mr Pratt's. Tho Chairman— And who was Mr Pratt acting for? Mr Wade^Messrs Spence Brothers, I suppose. Mr Dundas thought that Mr Wade had not thoroughly considered tho application for sojtion ltS. ! "The question, vrag BimplyT-W ? as ,22,200 acres, once noted as the aggregate 1 acreage, or 2."l,Booiacres, the correct aggregate ? ;The 3900 acres were ■ conjectural acreage. ,■ .Mr Wade thought that, ,i{ the 21,300 acres had been meant to include the entire acreage of the numerous individual applications, it would f ' hare been specifically stated. ;

Tlift Ohuirmnn — Mr Wade is mniing^'tgd^^ case for his clients j but ho fails to' convince me. , jit mn3t:.^havo,rti^pn at Mf,<; Bjatt's personal:;; re* ': 21,300 aijres -wiVe HiaSUSo iij^fle^al^po^lanc] ■ wanted!^ '$M I f,-i$ 2^j : ; ;^'^"- jr ->s£ ■ : ' Mr 3^jtch^Jol|jioag]i^||fch t^||6haiira|an!^Spi : all thelahd ftgftlkd for;^d ba|jC*rartted:}||^" - ■ Mpl^aicor-ljpalso wtli|ppjgg(jiijstlie ap^[ioat{o|tj| T|ie''Wa?onNpne' i reason,"a^i-ahy rate — wai $%&■' it would be deceiving the F.'drinciat Govern rncnffe'' to grant it, &3 the land has sincfi risen in value. Mr Wude — I am glad to hear that ; a member of the BoardTiaV reVe'aTecTllie" real, "or wliat "SppeTdf a" < tip me to ,be jth.e real Qadsty&f all this action pa "the part of the Board. ■ It is what leipecie'd,' and wliatT''Hli^l6'n2'Wl9Tieli"'fo"' I fiifd i ' t but; ~" Mr Dunda9 repudiated the idea of theßoard' treating the question on other than its own merifca. The Chairman maintained that the Messrs Soence had no right to the land they now claimed ; if they had, they would get it, though it had increased in value to tibe; extent of £50 an acre. Some desultory remarks followed, and then it was resolved — That the application be refused, j and that tlie Board adhere to its minute of the 1 15th October, i 87 4. : Mr Wade Mien brought the case connected with section 60, Oreti District, before tho Board, explaining that it was not so much a case between Messrs Speneeand the G-overnment, as between another presumed applicant, Mr James Mackintosh and Messrs Spence. The application (No. 1123) was for 1000 acres. Tlie Chairman said that it was a question for the Board, whether it would agree to re-hear the case. He had been absent on an official visit to Stewart's Island' when' if 'was last brought before the Board, and as notice had not been sent to Mr Mackintosh, it would be unfair to take any further action in the circumstances. Mr Mackintosh's solicitor should, at any rate, be sent for. This was agreed to. Mr Macdbnald then appeared before the Board, and the position of things having been explained to him, he stated that he had nothing more to say in the matter. The Board seemed to be of opinion that a rehearing for this case had not been granted, only re-hearing in the matter of section 118, Taringatura. Mr Wade obtained permission to read his documents for the information of Mr Macdqnald. They contained a note from the Inspector of Surveys (Mr Baker) to the district Burveybr, authorising the latter*to alter the boundary of the application of Messrs Spence in section 60, Oreti district, if neoessary for fencing purposes, provided it did not extend to within the forly chains necessary to be left between it and the road. Mr Macdonald would simply observe .that Mr Mackintosh's application was to extend to the boundary of that of Messrs Spence, and he would object to a re-hearing, as the matter had already been decided. Mr Mitchell thought that the alteration of the boundary was a virtual extension of the area, and that Messrs Spence had a clear right to claim a re*hearing. Mr Baker explained, stating that he had, on complaints being madd by Mr M'lvor as to the impracticability of fencing on the supposed boundary of the application, authorised the district surveyor to alter the boundary, as stated in the note which had been read, but he had never contemplated that such a step should result in any extension of the area of the application, as it was wholly beyond his power to make any such alteration. Mr M'lvor Btated that on his complaining to Mr Baker that the original boundary was » continuation of water holes, Mr Baker had given him the note, which had been read, to give to the district surveyor, Mr M'Arthur. Eventually the Board resolved to adhere to its former decision on tho subject, confirming Mr Mackintosh's application, and refusing to grant any extension to that of Messrs Spence. FOBEST BBPOHT. The following report furnished by the Inspector of Forests was read : — luvercargill, 21st January, 1875. SiE, — I have the honor to forward my report for the month of December last, showing the quantity of timber cut by the sawmills, viz., 764,350 ft, and the lordship £95 10s lOd. Although less than the previous month, it is in reality more, In proportion to the time the mills were at work. There were three under repair during the whole month, and the others were idle during the holidays — or a fourth of the time. I have also the honor to show, as annexed, the results of the year's operations, as a whole, and the quantities cut by each mill respectively. Instead, however, of giving the names of the licensees, which might be undesirable, and is not necessary, I have given consecutive numbers, whereby each will recognize his own, but not his 1 neighbor's work. It will be seen, also, that three mills only were in operation for the whole year, while the other fourteen averaged about eight months each. It may, therefore, bo reasonably presumed that the result of the work for the year now entered upon may probably amount to double that of the past, more especially as there are two additional mills nearly ready for work — one at Ooydon and the other at Woody Knoll. Now that the Survey Department has resumed the original system, I would again strongly recommend that steps be taken to cut the back lines of bush seotions, as formerly suggested ; also that blocks of bush be laid off in suitable localities for settlers and splitters; And that Seaward Bush be surveyed in blocks of three or four hundred acres, as at present it is impossible to ascertain whether settlers or licensees are cutting on their own ground. All licensees are entitled to a renewal of their licenses for the year 1875, — I have, &c,, D. M'Arthcb, Inspector of Forests. The Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands. FOnEST BKTtTHKS. Work done by each mill : —

Squared logs not in ordinary returns £32 17 6 Settlers and splitters' licenses, year ending 31st December, 1874 ... 141 110 Total £1297 8 2 B. M'Arthus.

No. Feet. I— Working 11 months. ..963,535. ..£l3O 8 6 2— Do 7 do ... 463,154... 57 17 11 o — i>f o J- ... ace cxl... oa tz. a 4— Do 10 do .. 450,577... 56 6 0 5— Do 11 do ...926,356... 115 16 0 6— Do 11 do ... 327,081... 40 17 11 7— Do 9 do ... 581,730... 72 14 5 8— Do 12 do ... 816,956... 102 2 3 9_ i) 0 7 do ... 525,348... 65 14 0 10— Do 12 do ... 956,770... 119 1111 11— Do 7 do ... 437,856... 54 2 3 12— Do 11 do ... 411,915... 51 9 3 13— Do 12 do „. 691,589... 87 12 10 14— Do 6 do ... 440,845... 55 2 2 15-r Do 6 do ... 226,060.., 28 5 0 16— Do 6 do ... 261,660... 32 13 11 17— Do 4 do ... 238,847... 29 17 0 8,977,921 £1123 8 10