Waste Lands Board.

Southland Times, Issue 4491, 1 December 1882, Page 4

Waste Lands Board.

• 'Thursday, Nov. 30. The weekly meeting of the Waste Lands Board was held this morning, the ChieE Commissioner presiding, and all the members being present. ' An application was made by Thos. Surman for 300 acres, section 657, Hoko? nui district, run 148 a, which was granted, as was also an application from the same quarter for an adjoining section of 700 | •ens on the nine run. An application < was also' made by the same party for 178 and 180 acres in the same' run, but these were refold. Mr ; Finn appeared on behalf of Mr Norman Prentice, and Mr John Brpwn and Mr Jabez Hay, mortgagees of certain property held by Mr Gt. Weeks, and asked the Board to 'grant a transfer of the sawmill area, and license held by Mr Weeks. Mr Weeks asked for an adjournment as he had only heard that the application was going to.be made ten minutes ago, and he had toot had time to instruct a solicitor. He coulji put an entirely different construction on "the matter to that given by Mr Finn. MrLumsden was of opinion that this was not a fair application to cpme before the Board. He did not think that the Board 1 could act in the matter unless the application was made by Mr Weeks himself."' ' ' Mr Mitchell suggested that as an application for a new sawmill license would have, to lie on the table for a fortnight, a similar delay should be granted in this case. Ultimately further consideration was adjourned for a week. A similar course was taken witli regard to the report on the deferred payment defaulters on the plea that it was a public holiday, the Board wishing to give the selectors all the chance in their power, and. ordering that all payments made in the meantime to the office be receive J. An application was made by John • Adamson for deferred-payment section 298, Forest Hill Hundred, 254 acres.— Granted. Mrs Watson applied to have some improvements made by her on section 13, block 2, Winton, valued prior to sale. The applicant explained that some one else had expressed a determination to buy the section and she wished the valuation made accordingly. The Ranger was instructed to appraise the improvements as requested. A letter was read from David Hutchison requesting the Board to reconsider his case as he had not laid the matter very clearly before the Board at the last meeting, on which occasion his section had been declared forfeited. Hutchison explained that he had made every arrangement for ploughing the land, and for having a house built, and had even offered to pay the amount in arrear a month before it was due, but the offer was refused. A month's grace was allowed for the completion of the improvements required by the Act. W. Barnhill requested that the date for receiving applications for sections in Holmesdale be postponed or that protection to crop now growing on part of the township be given. The matter was ordered to stand over pending an application being made for the land. Duncan Sinclair requested extension of time for paying up arrears on section 791 and 80, Waiau district. — Consideration postponed. A letter was read from John Dixon, Hokonui, who requested three months' extension to pay arrears on section 605. The writer pointed out that he had done a great deal of work on his section and gave par ticulars which showed that he had put it under thorough cultivation. — Further consideration of the application was postponed for a week, the opinion being generally expressed that the applicant was a good settler, and deserved encouragement. While on the subject of the deferredpayment selectors, Mr Mitchell said he was afraid that the majority of the selectors were of opinion that the 5 per cent, interest paid by them on the capital amount went to extinguish the sum of their debt, but this impression was entirely wrong. The following applications to capitalise were granted subject to the fulfilment of all conditions of the Act : — William Morrison, Oreti Hundred ; George Stewart, ditto ; W.T. Sinclair, New River Hundred. The Ranger reported that John Mclndoe, New Biver Hundred, had sufficiently fulfilled the conditions of his licence, and permission to capitalise was accordingly granted. The Ranger reported that Messrs Small and tJ6. had fairly cut the timber from their sawmill application atj Waimatuku, and he could see no objection to their application for an extension being granted. The Committee appointed to investigate re existing reserves in Seaward Bush township, recommended — Section 50, block 1, to be set aside as a school site ; sections 60 and 70 for recreation purposes ; sections 26, 50, and 62, block 2, for educational purposes ; and sections 67, 68, 63, and 59, block 1, to be thrown open for sale. The Board approved of the report, and recommended the Government to give it effect. The Board then adjourned.