Waste Lands Board.

Southland Times, Issue 4721, 24 August 1883, Page 2

Waste Lands Board.

+ Thursday, 23rd Aug. The Chief Commissioner and all the members except Mr Hirst were present at the ordinary meeting. An application for 197 acres of rural land in the Eyre district was made by Jos. Rogers and granted. David Evans applied for 60 acres in tha Oreti Hundred.— Granted. Two areas, one of 233 and one of 200 acres, on run 148, Hokonui district, were granted to W. H. King. H. Pinkiert applied for a 200 acre extension of his sawmiil area in Mabel Bush.— Held over for 14 days. A transfer of a section in the Centre Hill district from Thos. Ward to Wm. Burkett was applied for.— The Ranger reported that the conditions had not been complied with, there having been no improvements ; made, and no residence. Mr Ward said be could not reside upon the land as he was employed in Dunedia and could not sacrifice his appointment. When he took up the land he had intended to "go farming," believing that such a life would be beneficial to his health. He had found, however, that the contrary would be the effect, and hence his desire to transfer the section. He would not profit by the transaction. The term for compulsory residence only commencftd on the Ist July last, Mr Lumsden objected to the transfer. To grant it would be to establisHj^^d precedent, and open a way for land speculation. The Board had resolved on a former occasion that in no case would a transfer be granted, if all the conditions had not been complied with, and they should adhere to that determination. Mr Denniston thought the applicant had made out a good case. He thoroughly agreed with the principle advocated by Mr Lumsden, but every rule had its exceptions, and this application was an exception. The circumstances had changed since the land was taken up. Mr Mitchell was also of opinion that the transfer shou'd be sanctionnd. The applicant had taken it up and had intended to work it, bat his ill-health prevented him from bo doing, and now he wished to dispose of it without profit to himself. Mr Toshach could not see it in that light. The applicant was not in good health when he took up the land. People should consider theße matters before applying for sections. The Chief Commissioner said the principle that all conditions' should be fulfilled j before a transfer ie granted should be generally adhered to, but in this case there were circumstances that made it, in his opinion, advisable to grant the application. Mr Ward would gain no pecuniary benefit from the transaction, and the publio would in no way suffer. The-transfer was then sanctioned, upon condition that the applicant produce a medical certificate of' his unsuitableness for agricultural life. Mr Lumsden requested that his objection be recorded. W. Durbriilge, licensee of section 8, block 3, Centre Hill, appeared to show cause why his section should not be forfeited owing to his non-compliance with the residence clause.— The Ranger's report

gte'^i,. ■ * — : : — : ; — — — - 1 "": ~" stated that the improvements on tho section were very satisfactory., Mr Durbridge asked the permission of the Board to transfer tlie aeotion to ono of his family, who would bo able to reside upon it. His duties a> engineer to ilic Wallace County prevented him fr-'in being there himself continually.— Transfei sanctioned. A. P. Scobie also appeared in answer to a charge of non-resid srice on his section 10, block 2, Centre Hill. In this" case the improvements were not satisfactory. After Mr Bcobie had been heard it was decided to. allow him till the end of December to build and occupy a house on the section. Mr Hugh Littleton, selector of section 11; block 2, Centre Hill, appeared to complain that his name had been included in a list of defaulters for breach of the residence clause of the Act, whereas compulsory residence did not commence with him till January next. He therefore claimed expenses for attending the meeting of the Board. It was explained that Mr Littleton had been reported for non-residence at the previous meeting of the Board, and he had been reported in both the local papers as a defaulter, but no official intimation or advertisement that he must attend the Board had been sent to him, the mistake having been' discovered before the notice left the office. The .Board, was of opinion that as no notice had been sent to Mr- Littleton he was under no necessity to attend the meeting and ; so incur expense. They for expenses. Thomas Marshall said it was impossible for him to live on his section 43, block 5, Infierqargill Hundred. His dwelling-bouse was on the adjoining fret hold land, about two chains fro«n the section. He would i^^undertake to live on it ; he would o^Ber forfeit it.— Section forfeited ac- . Other licensees of sections in block 5, Invercargill Hundred (Myross Bush) were also called upon to. explain their non-resi-dence. John Henderson, section 73, was allowed two months in which to build a house and reside in it ; C. Fairweather (section 79), and A, Drysdale (section 77) were granted six months and three months' extension for the same purpose. In connection with these sections at Myross Bush, the opinion was expressed by the Board that they should not have been offered on deferred payment. Jesse Alley was granted a coal lease of five acres adjoining Morley village. The following applications to capitalise were granted: — Jas. McAuley, section 232, j Taringatura ; P. Fitzgerald, sections 25 and 26, block 1, Taringatura; Jos. Barron, section 480, Hokonui ; J. Ure, section 42, block 4, Winton Hundred ; A. Dingwel!, section 57, Wairio ; K. Holleran, section 44, Wairio ; B. B. Treeloar, section 8, block 8, Campbell town. Mr Lyons applied for permission to complete purchase on section 36, block 3, New River Hundred. — Granted. A leaee of six acres of the recreation reserve at Wallacetown Extension was granted to David Strachan. It was resolved to summon the following •electors to show cause why their sections ■hould not be declared forfeited owing to non-fulfilment of the lesidence conditions : White, section 136, Wairio ; George Groves, section 159, Wairio. The following applications for village allotments were granted : — Catherine Bissitt, section 2, block 1, Waiiniwa ; Jno. Bissitt, section 3, block 1, Waianiwa. H. Hobber applied tor deferred-pay-ment section 231, Taringatura.— Granted. Permission to complete purchase was granted to— F. Crockett, section 59, Wairio ; A. Mcßride, section 54, Wairio. John Mackay wrote from Biversdale complaining that a portion of hie section 471, Hokonui, was of no use to him for the want of a crossing over the Waimea Plains railway.— Resolved to refer the matter to the Minister of Lands. The Board then adjourned.