WASTE LANDS BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 2427, 12 July 1876, Page 2

WASTE LANDS BOARD.

THE Board. met ou Monday, the Commissioner of Waste Lands (Mr. C. D. Whitcombe) iv the chair. Present: Messrs. Cromptom Standish, aud Syme. Surveyor's Report.— The CHAIRMAN read the Chief Surveyor's report, as follows: — "According to instructions from his Honor the Superintendent, two survey parties have been discharged, and the surveyors employed in the office at New Plymouth. The others are now occupied completing the last block, aud continuing the survey of the Hua nnd Waiwakaiho Hundred. The survey of the land between the Mangauui aud Patea will not be proceeded with uutil about October, so that no other land excepting what is already in the market will be available until about the end of the year. — T. Humphries. Chief Surveyor." The Gocc.rn.mfnt Resolution. — Mr. Whitcombe read to the Board a telegram he had received, which consisted of the resolution passed in the House of Representatives for raising the price of waste land throughout the Colony. The sale on Saturday, he said, was no doubt affected by it. He of course read to intending purchasers the telegram, and explained its meaning. The sections were put up at ill, and he had to explain that this upset was doubled. Sir J.Vogel referred in his speech to the land laws of Canterbury, and said it would be advisable, to make the laws of the Colouy assimilate. He thought it but right to point out theirs was not open land, but bush, and the raising the price of it meant ruin to the settlement; and on Saturday it .had considerably affected the result of the laud sale. He trusted that the Board would give effect to some strong expression of opinion on the matter, as the resolution, aa it stood, simply deterred the 6ale of land in his office. He hoped the Board would pass some resolution. — Mr. Standish said he feared the resolution would put a stop to the progress of settlement iv the Province. They bad a high upset price, although not so high as Canterbury. Their system worked well, and it would be a pity to alter it. The resolution would be detrimental to the settlement, and it would be desirable for the Government to know it. Their present land laws were far more suitable for this Province, aud did not want altering. If they charged £2 au acre they would not sell any land. They might get that price where the laud was open, but it would not pay for bush, where the expense iv clearing was heavy. He would move, "That with reference to the resolution passed in Committee of the House of Representatives affecting the price of Crown Lands, this Board is of opinion that the present law affectiug the disposal of the waste lands withiu this Province works well, and is the one Bituated to the varied character and quality of the laud in this district. That auy fixed and arbitrarily increased price of bush land of this Province would be most disastrous, being practically prohibitory of further sales excepting upon deferred payments; and this Board is further of opiuion that a land law similar to that at present in force, and flexible in its nature, is absolutely necessary to the successful openiug up and settling of the bush districts of tbis Province." — Mr. CROMPTON seconded the resolution, and it was carried. — Mr. Crompton then moved, Mr. Syme seconded, and it was carried, " That the Commissioner be directed to forward a copy of the above resolution to the Secretary of Crown Lands, aud to each of the members of the House of Representatives." The Late. Mr. Goodhand's Section. — Mr. Standish said he had been consideiing the case' of the late Mr. Goodhand. and he thought the best way would tie for the widow to put in her application to transfer the section to some one who would purchase it. The Board theu adjourned.