WAIMAKARIRI RIVER BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6795, 15 May 1900, Page 4

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER BOARD.

—^ — « The usual meeting of the Waimakaxiri River Board yras held yesterday ; present — Messrs R; W. England (chairman), H. W. Peryman, G. P. Carpenter, J. Glan-» ville, R. M. Taylor and E. Smith. Mr j Acton-Adams appeared in reply to a communication from the Board with reference to gorse on reserves held by him, and stated that he had complied with his lease as far as possible, having burnt off the major portion of the gprse, but 1 there was a large quantity of broom which would not burn. He would thoroughly clean the land provided the Board made an allowance, as he was not bound by his agreement to grub cut the gorse or broom. It would cost £1 an 1 acre to grub the land, and J3l per acre to lay down th© land in grass. One of the reserved he held under lease had been thoroughly cleared and laid down in English grass. Mr Taylor said what the Board had to consider was whether the conditions of the leas© had baen complied with, and if the revenue arising from the leases was likely to be lowered. Mr Adams, in his lease, had refused to eigffl until the clause regarding gorse clearing was made conditional. He had not agreed to completely dear the land. Mr Adams then withdrew, the Board promising to consider the question. A report from, the Engin«er was read, in which he stated it would be advisable'to plant out a lot more marram grass on the reserves on Blocks 12 and 13. There was one portion where drifting sand was getting out on to good grass land, but if the placa was planted it would complete six miles of plantation on this part of the river. It was resolved, on the motion ol Messrs Glanville and Smith, thatt the Board should visit the locality and see what portions required planting." The Chairman then brought up the question of the water supply for the water-races which were used for irrigation purposes, and some discussion followed as to whether the B*ard was getting the quantity of water it was paying for. The Secretary was instructed to writ© to the Selwyn County Council with, reference , to the matter.. The Engineer reported that the main stream threatened to. come in at No. 4 embankment, and he asked the Board to al- j low him some cement for a concrete protec- ! tion of a bank. The report was adopted, and a tender for a small quantity of oement was accepted. Letters from J. Burrows, A. Fantham, A. Jackson and F. Searle, leaseholders, stating that they were keeping t3re gorse and broom down as much as possible on their lands, were received. The report of the sub-committee on the resarve at Chaney's Corner was read as follows : — " Taking the area for a sand and grit reserve at 90 acres, and allowing 6ft in depth for marketable stuff, there ia a total of 871,200yd5, AvMch, at an annual royalty of 6d per yard 1 , gives a total far the land of £21,000. The committee suggests— (l) That the lessee should be required to construct a siding afe his own expense, to connect the reserve with the railway, the work to be completed, under penalty, in six montihs; (2) that the term should be ten years and a half, subject to the present, lease; (3) that there should be a minimum number of yards per annum upon which royalty must b& paid .to the Board, 5000 yds representing a value of £125 ; (4) that the lease should be put up to publio auction, or disposed of by tender, in accordance with the Public Reserves Act." It was decided, on the motion of Mr Taylor, seconded by Mr Glanville—" That the report of the sub-com-mittee be adopted, with the amendments that the ten years and a half be altered to fourteen years, and the £126 to £185, the matter to be left in the hands of the committee to bring to a conclusion." Accounts and salaries amounting to £364 12s 4d! were passed fior payment. a