Taranaki Land Board.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12195, 20 February 1903, Page 3

Taranaki Land Board.

The Taranaki Land Board met on Tuesday. Present : The Commissioner (Chairman), an<f Messrs Heslop and Battenbury. TRANSFERS. 3175, Mr Knox to H. McKenzie, sees 118, 19, 21, block 2, Upper Waitara: 3267, F. McCarthy to Jas. Wallace, feec 83, block 10, Pouatu. This^ application was declined and F. McCarthy will be called upon to comply with the residential conditions forthwith, otherwise the section will be declared forfeited. 1852, W. H. V. Bindon to Ellen O'Neill, sees 1 and 2, block XI., JSga;timaru. 2693, G. A. Robertson to Peter Milne sec 5, block §,opaku. U. 77, J. Hewitt (deceased) to H. J. Callingham, sees 15 and 17, block I, Mahoe (per Public Trustee). : 2928, J. S. L. Kindberg to J. E. Hastie, 20, block 13, Mahoe; 21, 22, block 16, Ngatimaru. I.F. 3, J.Neilson's application to sub-let sub 2 of sec 26, block X, Ngatimaru, to H. Latimer foi a* term of 5 years at a rental of 10/ per annum per acre was deferred for the report of the Ranger. 3194, G. EL Handley's application to itransfer sees 22, 23, 24, block 2, Upper Waitara, to Wm. Madgwick was refused. » 2618, Messrs Malone McVeagh and Anderson's application to adroit G. S. Howard as a% tenant in common with .W. H. H. Young, of sees 17, 18, 22, block 3, Omona, was accepted. 2847, It was resolved that J. H. Oliver's remaining one year's personal residence on sec 2, block 1, Egmoni, be dispensed with on account of his father having left his farm on the M angorei Road in his charge, and also on account of the damp climate affecting his health. The Commissioner brought up the question of the transfer of this land to H. W. Saxton passed at the meeting on 16th December last, and it was resolved that the Board could not transfer the land ! to Mr Saxton, but that if another eligible purchaser was submitted the Commissioner was authorised to aciwpt him. FREEHOLDS. The following applications for, froeJholds were approved :-— M. O'Neill, sec 11, block 10, N Ngatimaru ; F. Baxter, sec 11, block 15, Waitara ; H. M. Skeet, sec 9, block 13, Waitara; G. Miles, sec 3, block 13, Waitara; S. Turnbull, sec 7, block 13, Waitara. FORFEITED SECTIONS. The Ranger reported having resumed possession of the following forfeited sections : — Sec 8, block 6, Upper Waitara ; sec 9, block 6, Upper Waitara ; sec 5, block 10, Upper Waitara. It was resolved to re-offer the land tinder part HI. of the Act at the .prices submitted by the Commissioner. , The following were notified to show teause why their holdings should hot be declared forfeited for non-complian-ce with : conditions :— W. and H. HelJier, sub-lease of sees 9 and 10 y block 5, Ngatimaru, for non-residence ; D. •A. Watt, sees 1, block 10, 5, block 13, and sec 3, block 14, Upper Waitara, non-improvement and arrears of rent, J. B. Mabin, sec 41, block XI., Wai? tara, non-residence. It was resolved that the Helliers be asked for a reply; that the interest of D. A. , Watt be declar?d forfeited and that the Commissioner be instructed to' proceed to recover the rent due. Mr Mabin stated that it was not convenient to live on the land entirely, and it was resolved to grant 6 months' leave ol absence in the meantime. ■ 'ROAD DEVIATIONS. Mr G. T. Murray submitted plans of proposed deviations of the Matau Road South, Te Wera and Mangaopa . Roads, and asked if a piece . of land proposed to be severed from sec 32, block 6, Ngatimaru, held by R. Findlay on Lease in Perpetuity, conditions could be transferred to Mr J7 Wallace to hold with sees 27, 28, and 35, block 6, Ngatimaru, under O.R.P. conditions. It waß resolved that the proposed deviation* be generally approved of, and that the amendment of titles be left in the hands of the Commissioner to carry out as the law fray allow. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. It was resolved that under the circumstances, of the case J. J. Connell's leave of absence from sees 7, block 9, and 1, block 10, Ngatimaru, applied by his solicitor, be dispensed with during the pleasure of the Board. ARREARS OF RENT. "Richard O'Donnell, sees, 1 and 2, block 4, Mimi, owes 4 instalments. J. R. Stokes, sec 4, block 6, Kapara, owes 5 instalments. It was resolved that if Mr O'Donnell and Mr Stokes do not pay the rent within two months, the Board must proceed to forfeit the land and sue for the rent. It was resolved, that if Mr Knuck* ey, who asked that, on account of heavy losses proceedings for recovery of rent be not enforced, if he will pay half of the amount due within one month from date, the Board will relieve him of further responsibility in the matter. T. Sullivan's tenancy of sec 37, block 1, Upper Waitara, was renewed for another year. LOCAL BODIES' EXPENDITURE. The following local bodies submitted proposals for expenditure of thirds and fourths : — Clifton County Council (approved as amended by items struck out) ; Hawera County Council and Moa Road Board (approvfed).

APPLICATIONS AND OFFERS. It was resolved that the Board has*

no power to agree to T. J. A. Hutchildre's request that he might hand over sec 3, block 13, Mimi, to his brother ( who wished to apply for it), and forego payment for improvements under certain conditions. I H. F. Russell's application for six 'months' leave of absence from sec 5, , bldck 8, Huiroa, on account of his {haying' purchased a business in New ! Plymouth, was agreed to. j I S. Schultz's request that a part of sec 3, block 1, Pouatu, be cut off and added to his holding sec 5, in order to give him a homestead site, was referred to the Ranger for a report. ! It was resolved to refer the offers by Ei M. Izett of part sec 71, block | IQp Pouatu, and by Anderson and Co., of part sec 69, block 14, Pouatu, as a j site for a township near Kohuratahi, and also a petition from 44 settlers for the favourable consideration" of the Government. The Board resolved to inform th« Makahu Co-operative Dairy Company that there will be no objection to ! their occupying and building on part ! sec 28, block 15, Ngatimaru Township Reserve, the site applied for by them, and that thereafter the land will be put up for sale for cash by public auction weighted with full valuation for improvements. A year to year lease at a rental of j 10/ per annum was granted to M. j Kelly, of part of Cemetery Reserve, sec 25, block XI., Omona, adjoining his holding sec 3, subject to the fight to make interments whenever required. ' j Pending the selection of a suitable site for a township which is needed in the locality, the Board could not en--tertain at present Thos. Browne's application for part or the whole of sec 84, block 10, Pouatu to be added to his, holding. Mr Kerr, having waited on the Board on behalf of his client Wm. Courtney, ■^and having asked that the rent in arrear on sections 8, 9, block VI., and 5, block X, Upper Waitara, forfeited by his client, or any portion of it, might be refunded to him, Mr Heslop moved that, as the law in this matter has been fully vindicated, the Hon. Minister of Lands ba recommended to iefund to Mr Courtney half of the last -payment less the cost . of collection. This was seconded by Mr Kattenbury, and carried. , The Board answered Mrs Firbank's personal request for some protection in the matter of sees 10 and 13, block 9, Mimi, that it would do what it could, and the Commissioner said he would look into the matter and see what the legal position is. t AN IMAGINARY BALANCE. The clerk to the Hawera County Council wrote asking- for the certificate of the Land Board to a transfer of an imaginary balance of £414 6/9, which has since 1888, when the Hawera Road Board was merged into the County, appeared in the Council's bal-ance-sheet to the credit ~ql the Land Fund Account, as a matter of fact the land fund having been expended. It also asked that the Council be allowed to charge the Land Fund Account with about 7 per cent administration expenses for 11 years amounting to £1034 9/2. The Commissioner was empowered ,to deal with the matter and to give the necessary certificate if he finds it advisable to- do so.