160
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 5

SECOND-CLASS HEAVY-BUSH LAND—continued.

medium to dense forest, chiefly of tawa, rata, rimu, tawhero, towhai, black-birch on ridge-tops, and the usual undergrowth. The soil is of fair quality, comprising a vegetable mould resting on a formation of papa, with a little sandstone and shell-rock in places, and is well watered by permanent streams. The altitude varies from 500 ft. to 1,200 ft. above sea-level, some of the ridges running to 1,500 ft. On the whole the land is well adapted for pastoral pursuits, principally sheep and cattle raising, with occasional patches that might be used for dairying. The principal means of access will be from Eltham, distant about forty miles by the Rawhitiroa Road, on the north side of the block, which is formed for about twenty miles as a dray-road, the remainder being a bridle-road; there is a good walking-track down the Moewatea Valley. Further road-access towards Waverley is under consideration, and a survey is now being made to give a connection with the Mataimoana Road; if this should be accomplished the south end of the block would be brought within about thirty miles of Waverley, twenty-five miles of which will be open for dray-traffic. Intending selectors wishing to view the eastern portion of this block might do so by approaching it from Waverley or Waitotara by the Waitotara Valley Road, which is formed as a dray-road to Mr. Van Asch’s house, thirty-seven miles from Waitotara. A good private walking-track (though not a legal road) can then be found from Mr. Van Asch’s house, through his clearing to the Kapara Trigonometrical Station, taking about one hour and a half to reach: from here almost the whole of the block can be seen, but a close inspection may be made by following any of the cut ridge-boundaries leading from here over the block. In this part of Taranaki the climate is bracing and healthy, with an equable and copious rainfall throughout the year, which generally insures an abundance of grass during dry seasons elsewhere.

As witness the hand of His Excellency the Governor, this thirteenth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and four.

T. Y. DUNCAN,
Minister of Lands.

Rural Lands in Southland Land District open for Sale or Selection.

RANFURLY, Governor.

IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities conferred upon me by section one hundred and thirty-six of “The Land Act, 1892,” and section two of “The Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, 1903,” I, Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby declare and provide as follows, that is to say:—

1. The rural lands enumerated in the Schedule hereto are hereby set apart for disposal by way of sale or selection on and after the second day of March, one thousand nine hundred and four, at the respective prices specified in the said Schedules.

2. The said lands may be purchased for cash, or be selected for occupation with right of purchase, or on lease in perpetuity; provided that in the case of land containing or supposed to contain any metal, mineral, or valuable stone, it shall be selected on lease in perpetuity only and shall not be purchased for cash.

3. For the purposes of “The Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Act, 1903,” the lands enumerated in the First Schedule hereto shall be deemed to be “heavy-bush land,” the lands in the Second Schedule shall be deemed to be “light-bush land,” the lands in the Third Schedule shall be deemed to be “scrub land,” and the lands in the Fourth Schedule shall be deemed to be “swamp land.”

4. No general rate shall be levied or collected by any local authority from the said lands for the period of four years in the case of heavy-bush land, three years in the case of light-bush land or swamp land, and two years in the case of scrub land from the date from which in each case respectively such land is disposed of, and no local authority shall have power to levy or collect any such rate from such land during such period.

5. After the first half-year’s rent has been paid by the selector the further instalments of rent payable by him for a period of four years in the case of heavy-bush land, three years in the case of light-bush land or swamp land, and two years in the case of scrub land, shall not be demanded; provided that if at any time during the first five years of his occupancy the selector disposes of his interest in the land the rent so conceded shall be paid by him in full, and thereupon the Land Board may remit such instalments of rent payable by the incoming tenant, not exceeding in the aggregate the amount of rent previously conceded to the selector, as the Board shall think fit.

SCHEDULES.

SOUTHLAND LAND DISTRICT.

FIRST SCHEDULE.

Second-class Heavy-bush Land.

Situated on eastern side of Waikawa Harbour, from two to three miles from Waikawa Township. Land covered with mixed bush; well watered; soil medium. Litho. No. 343.

Southland | Waikawa .. | 20 | III. | 288 1 0 | 0 6 3 | 90 1 7 | 0 3·75 | 2 5 0 | 0 3 | 1 16 0

Situated in Tokonui Gorge, about eleven miles east of Fortrose. Land mostly covered with mixed bush; soil poor. Litho. No. 321.