Superintendent cannot but think that he has good reason to complain that in coming to the decision it did in this matter, the Board has not exhibited that courtesy to the Superintendent and Provincial Council which was due to their position as parties whom the law invests with certain powers under the Waste Lands Acts, and that instead of taking time to consider and mature its decision, it should at once, without discussion and without assigning any reason, have arrived at an apparently foregone conclusion; the one which, it is reasonable to suppose, must have been forced upon it either under a misconception of the law then applied for, or in the absence of information necessary to the resolutions of the Provincial Council above referred to.

As to the value of the land, the Superintendent is of opinion that 20s. per acre all round for such land is a high price—an opinion which is fully borne out by the report of the Chief Surveyor; but if any doubt existed on this point, the Board had an opportunity of setting it at rest by submitting one of these allotments to public auction, and the Superintendent regrets they did not take advantage of the opportunity the Board refused to allow the sale at public auction of the lands for which duplicate applications had been lodged.

There is good reason to believe that the second application was not a bona fide one, as the Superintendent is informed that land of at least as good quality for the adjoining thousand has been open for sale during the last two years, and for which no application has yet been received. It is reasonable therefore to suppose that the application was not a bona fide one. To the administration of the waste lands there must of course be some limit; but in view, viz., the settlement of the district, it may be fairly laid down that as an immediate object this end should be kept in view, and as a means towards this object, the acquisition of revenue.

The large extent of land which is being taken up on deferred payment and under agricultural lease must necessarily diminish the amount of immediate revenue from land.

As it is necessary to dispose of land for revenue purposes, that is to say, for providing means of communication, compensation, surveys, and other requirements which will be specially enumerated on the various works, among which latter may be the erection of public buildings for which purpose alone £3,000 are urgently needed. Little can be done for the class of land upon which it is expedient to realise is, on the mountain tops, which are unfit for settlement, such land, it is thought, as the Waste Lands Board, notwithstanding the resolution of the Provincial Council, and the recommendation of the Superintendent, has refused to sell.

Under all the circumstances of the case the Superintendent cannot but reiterate the expression of his extreme regret at the hasty action of the Board in this matter—action which is fraught with consequences which is most detrimental to the public interest, and for which the Board must hold solely responsible.

T. MACANDREW,
Superintendent.

Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 2nd May, 1876.

CHIEF SURVEYOR’S REPORT

PER MEMO. AT 31ST MARCH BY SUPERINTENDENT, 2ND APRIL, 1876.

Regarding the Nature of Country cancelled off Runs Nos. 170, 171, 173, and 174.

Run No. 170.—The 400 acres cancelled on this run lie in the fork between the Leith Stream and South Rock Creek, and surround the homestead of the run. This area calls for no particular description other than that it is part of the undulating grassy country, stretching away from behind Maungatua to the heights of Waipori. The altitude of the cancellation above sea level is from 1400 to 1600ft. As indicative of the value of the country it may be mentioned that it lies alongside of the Lee Stream Hundred for four miles, which is similar country. The Hundred has been surveyed and open for application for about two years, but the part adjacent to the area cancelled has not yet been selected.

Run No. 199.—The 15,000 acres cancelled on this run lie high lying back country, which will be under snow for a considerable time after every winter storm. The general elevation will be from 2000 to 3000ft. above the sea level. A reference to the map will show that this country is simply an extension of the back line of Cargill and Anderson’s purchase, nearer to the summits of Pinelheugh and Lammerlaw. There is no agricultural land in the block, and the only reservation requiring to be seen to will be the proposed road site for the miners at Teviot, should it happen to come within the limits of this block.

Run No. 369.—The 10,900 acres cancelled from this run lie north from Roxburgh, seven or eight miles by the main interior road, which runs through the block for nearly two miles. Between the road and the Clutha River there is a 1,800 acres flat altitude of from 400 to 500ft.

On the west side of road, 600 acres of shattered land ship country, altitude from 1,600 to 1,800ft.

The balance is mountain slope, rising from 1,600 to 3,000ft. to the summit of Obelisk Range.

With the exception of the 1,500 acres, about one-half of which is inferior agricultural land, all the rest is purely pastoral country.

In marking off the boundaries of this block care has been taken not to impinge on land which settlers resident in the district may have been looking up as the natural extension of their properties. Thus the country around McLoughlin’s improvements is still left intact up to the winter snow line, as is also all the road frontage on both sides, extending from McLoughlin’s to the landslips.

It is only approachable by dray, along the mountain track, availed of, in former times, between Tuapeka and Teviot, when there was no made road. This track will run off and on the back line of cancellation, and will keep open the access to the remaining 17,000 acres of leasehold on the run.