Southland Land Board.

Southland Times, Issue 9718, 6 January 1888, Page 2

Southland Land Board.

Thursday, sth January. The monthly meeting was attended by the Chief ICommissioner (Mr J. Spence) and Messrs Denniston and Kinross.

A telegram was received from the Land Department intimating that Mr Dennieton bad been re-appointed to the Board. The following applications were granted: To complete purchase: Timothy Chamber lain, section 23, block 1, Wreys Bush township; Eobert Brown, section 73, Wairio ; John Smith, section 3f , Block 3, MeDziea Ferry ; John MeehaD. lection 16, Drummond Village ; F. Robbie, iection 164 a, Oreti Hundred ; A. McHardy, section 164 b, Oreti Hundred ; Wm. Judge, eection 5 block 6, Makarewa Village. — For cash: Section 10, Barkley Village, Wm. Bibbington.—For deferred payment section 192, Wairio, Margaret Eeberfson.— To capitalise: J. Wardrope, section 578, flokonui; Archibald Dick, section 295, Forest Hill Hundred. The -Mayor of Invercargill (Mr A. Tapper) Councillor McDonald and the Town Olerk (Mr W. B Scaodrett) waited on the Board to learn, the nature of the Government's reply to have the Sandy Point peninsula vested in the Corporation. -The Chief Commissioner stated that a reply had bf en received to the effect that while the pt ninsulajooujd not be absolutely vested in tbe Corporation tbe Governor's powers under tho Public Domains Act might be delegated to th« Borough Council.—Tho Mayor said that after the Act had been studied and the matter fully considered the decision of the. Corporation would be made ;known to gthe Board. Ho agreed with the Chief Commissioner that apparently tho pr posal would suit all requirements and enable the Corporation to do the necessary planting for the protection of the harbour. Two applications wore received for the lease of sections 4 to 8, block 1, Wrey's Bush township, and it waa resolved to recommend the Government to remove the reserve and open the sections for application on the deferred payment system at an upset price of L 3 per acre. D. J. Oavenay applie 1 for a lease of section 2, block 11, Wrey's Bush township. —It was decided to offer all the municipal reserves in the township at an upset rental of 10s per acre per annum. A. Charlson and C. Hanson applied for five years lease of about 700 acres in the western boundary of block 13, Oteramika Hundred near Waituna lagoon for pastoral purpose, — Zi%n<i to be constituted a run and offered for lease for five years at an upset rental of L4. Mary Ann Thirston tendered for the perpetual lease of sections 15 and 16, block 2, Wendonside, at !s 3d p r -racro. — The Chairman said he understood that the applicant's husband hid already held and forfeited a perpetual leosn, and tho question arose as to whether under the circumstances she was elig'b'e to make the selection- — Tender accepted, subject to married women being eligible to take up such leases.

Complaints having been received that a deferred payment eottler at Limehilla had not fenced his land in compliance with the provisions of the Act, it was resolved to inßtruct him that lib roust fence up to a limestone cliff which is upon the section. Jesse Alley wrote complaining that certain unlicensed persons bad been taking coal from a reserve near ihe Nigbtcsps, and Banger Massen reported that the lessee of the reserve had coasidered himself entitled to take, the coal and to allow others to do so.-— lt was resolved to inform the taaeo that hi? gmgieg right o?« tfja

reserve did not confer npoa him the privilege of taking the coai. Jesse Alley applied for a farther area of the coal reserve at Nightcaps for prospecting purposes, as he expected his present area would be worked out this season. — ■ Permission granted to applicant to prospect on tbe reserve for a period of three months, said permission not to give him any exclusive right. The Chief Commissioner drew attention to the principal provisions of the new Land Act, pointing out that the boundaries of the Southland district had been extended so as to include a large area on the eastern side of the Mataura, that the land within the district was classified as first class and second ciasa respectively at a minimum price of LI aud 10s per acre respectively, that anyone could now purchase out his section if the improvements were sufficient, independent of the term of bis occnpatioD, that selectors conld decide for themselves under which system they wonld take np any land that "was open for application, and that the honoraria and travelling allowances to members of Boards bad been reduced, the former to 10s per sitting. He (the Chief Commissioner) added that he had not yet received any intimation from the Government of the re-appointment of Messrs Lnmsden and Toshach to the Board. The Board then adjourned.