WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Southland Times, Issue 2237, 17 December 1875, Page 2

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Thuesdat, December 16. Present — The Chief Commissioner, and Messrs Dundae, Luraeden, Mitchell, and Wood. POSTPONED CASE. The postponed case of Messrs Mackintosh and Sutton regarding a difficulty in the boundary of their holdings in the Oreti district was brought up. Mr Macdoaald. for Mr Mackintosh, and Mr Wade for Mr Sutton. Mr iSutton had applied for 390 acres in Oreti Hundred within certain specified boundaries. After hearing the arguments of counsel, the Board unanimously decided that Mr Sutton is entitled to any balance which may be found, on survey, under his application No. 1178, of 21th February, 1873; and that the Surveyor be instructed to proceed with the survey, in terms of this minute, immediately. lI€LVITE. Alexander McLeod, per Mr Wade, applied for sections 15, 16, and 19, block 3, Mataura, the same being a lignite reserve. The application was au adjourned one, and the applicant desired the ground for lignite ruining purposes. During consideration of the application it transpired that the Waste Lands Board of Otago had made no reply to a request from the Board to forward a copy of its regulations for the leasing of mineral lands. It was urged that the Board should obtain copies of all Acts bearing upon the administration of the waste lands. It also transpired that tho New Zealand Land Company had laid the land down in grass, and were using it. This surprised the Board. Protection to explore for coal for a period of three months was granted to Mr McLeod. JFOEEBT BEPORT. The Inspector of Forests reported as follows; — Invercargill, 16th Dec, 1875. Sir, — I have the honor to report that the timber cut by the sawmills during the last month amounts to 1,142,730 feet, and the royalty to £142 17s sd. There were four mills idle during the month. Mr Campbell, the forest bailiff, inspected the following bush reserves lately, viz., Myross, Mable, Grrove, Forest Hill, Titipua, and Waimatuku,and discovered several parties in some of them, but most of whom had licenses. The cases of the few who had not are being investigated with a view to further proceedings. The bailiff accompanied me to Longwood on Saturday last, when we examined the 100 acres claim wished to be abandoned by Messrs Instone as exhausted. It is quite denuded of all the pines, but has still a few white birch trees, which, however, are being cut down for sawmill purposes. I would therefore recommend that the 100 acres applied for lately by that firm be granted. On Tuesday last I inspected the application made by Mr Weaver in the Otatara bush, which is partly open and partly covered with manuka scrub, but wholly destitute of timber. It is bounded on the west by his present property and on the east by the small lake in the centre of the bush, and is nearly all a swamp. I would therefore recommend that this application also be granted. I have the honor to be, Sir, Tour most ob. servant, D. McAethtje, Inspector of Forests. The Chief Commissioner of Crown \ Lands.

The report waa adopted, but, in so far as regarded the application for extension of sawmill license in Longwood Forest, only on condition that the;, applicant/gave up 100 uncut acres of his briginapapplication. "" "' MAP. The map of the Dlpton township was passedSPECIAL APPRAISEMENT. . . Mr Lumsden moved that the Board should recommend the Q-overnment to place a special appraisement on section I, block I, and ssc. 3, block 2, Dipton (on the ground that these sections had been built upon aud improved by Mr Daniels) in ter ns of clause 12 of the Waste Lands Act Amendment Act, 1875, the former at £265, and the latter at £8- CarriedMr Wood moved that the Inspector of Forests be requested to report as to the number of visits he has made during the last six months to the various bush reserves, and that he be requested to make monthly reports of such visits. Agreed to. DEFERRED PAYMENTS. The Chief Commissioner, in reply to Mr Mitchell, said that licenses to all persons who had applied for deferred payment land, were being issued without any delay. The Board then adjourned. j