0.-—No. 1.

the mountains I have not seen them in the low country for six months, and the portion of the Reserve now allocated to him would be entirely useless for ordinary commonage purposes, both by reason of its distance and from the nature of the country. There is a mistake'in Mr. Fermnd's description of the Reserve, which might lead to misapprehension The boundary is not the Senora Creek, but the Leaning Eock Creek. Macmorrin has the right from the runholder, Mr. M'Lean, to use two spurs between the two creeks named, which leads the public into the error of supposing the land last described is part of the commonage. I wish to observe that the intending leaseholders of land in the Bald Hill Flat are resident in my district, and yet have to apply at Teviot (Roxburgh) for their leases. All their other business they transact here, and they are much astonished and disgusted at having to go 38 miles down the river to put in their applications. With respect to the water sluices, I myself observed in 1862, before the race was cut, that the water all soaked away in the ground in the gully, about half way up it. The natural bed itself is at a much lower elevation than the race. Cutting the race has therefore been a benefit to the agriculturists. The delay in issuing leases is very great. Leases applied for and granted in 1863 or 1864 have only, within this month of February, been received in the local office, and the lessees refuse to take them up now, because the rents specified therein are calculated in so unintelligible a manner. I have not had any complaints since 1 have been up here about the amount of deposit reauired! , I have only hal some five or six applications altogether. In fact there was none to apply for till 1200 acres, between the forks of the Chatto, were opened about four months ago. I posted notice on the Court House door, and the Press had information of it. Recently two other pieces have been opened on Mr. Low's Kun, at Black's No. 1, 700 acres; and the other, about 2600, on Glassibrd's Run, near the junction of the Mannherikia and Spott's .Burn. No. lis utterly worthless for agriculture. For the Spott's Burn Block, five applications were received the first day it was thrown open, and there will be about 15 more next Court day. With respect to the deposit, the Receiver of Land Revenue requires the payment of the whole rent due, on the issue of the lease, and refers the applicant to the Provincial Treasury to get buck his deposit The difficulty of giving more effectual notice of the throwing open of blocks appears to be that the Warden is authorised to receive applications before the trca'.y is concluded with the runholders As it is the notices are posted at every diggings in the district and Court Houses. I did try to have them posted at the Post but I found that could not be allowed. Next week I shall have a plan of the new block in the office at Black's, and a duplicate in the head office at Clyde.

Mr. Pykc. Continued.

No. 39. Mr. William Greig duly sworn, examined : — I am in conjunction with Messrs. Robert M'Laren and R. M. Turabull, the lessees of Run 247 Manuherikia District. I have read the evidence of Mr. Ferrand and Mr. Hazlett. So far as the suggestion ot Mr Ferrand is concerned, regarding the throwing open of more land for Agricultural Leases under the Dunstan ranges if such were done, it would be to the utter destruction of the Run. At the present time the Commonage of the 12 000 acres already granted yields about two-thirds less than it would if in the hands of a runholder, at the present rates paid by them. lam quite sure that there is not more than 600 acres of agricultural country on the piece under the Dunstan ranges which was referred to by Mr. Ferrand Any applications for agricultural purposes, if the spot indicated did not interfere materially with the working of the Run, have always been granted. I should not be surprised to hear that runholders have refused to grant applications when a, demand has been made as a matter of right in an insolent manner. There is a good number of cattle (from 100 to k>o) depastured on our Run, for which we make no charge. There are several persons . cultivating patches of land on he Run. We have lived on perfect good terms with all the people hereabouts.

No. 39. Mr. Greig. Bth March, 1869.

ALEXANDRA.

Monday, March 1, 186' J. No. 40. Mr. Finlay being duly sworn, examined: — lam Mayor of this Municipality. There are some complaints of want of land to settle upon among the inhabitants of this district, i.e., this part of the Dunstan Goldfield, including the portion of the Bald Hill Flat. I believe Bald Hill Flat is open for application. We are not aware of any land for agricultural settlement on commonage being available for the settlers at present in the immediate vicinity of Alexandra. We know nothing ofthe arrangement mentioned by Mr. Fraser to have been made with Messrs. Greig and lurnbull for the cession of a block of 1200 acres in'that locality. If it had been gazetted I think we should have heard of it. On an application from myself to -the Superintendent on the subject, we were advised to endeavor to procure land irom Messrs Greig and Turnbull on the best terms we could. On applying to these gentlemen, we were informed that a negociation was going on between them and the Government for a Commonage extending from the boundary of this township to the Kerikeri Creek towards Clyde, which would include about 4000 acres. Ot course I assume that the land before alluded to has nothing to do with this latter block. I was not aware that •is you state on the authority of Mr. Fraser, that Messrs. Greig and Turnbull had been awarded compensation for the first named block. Hut I was informed by the Superintendent that the Government had already paid compensation for the block on which the town stands. Ido not know the exact size of the township. I think the 13

No. 40. Mr. Finliiy. [Ist March, 1869.

49

LANDS IN OTAGO.