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C.-l

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The" following brief expose of the land-laws in force is added as a guide to the tables annexed: — Table C.— Cash Lands. —Town and suburban lands are sold by auction; rural lands either by auction or, more generally, by free selection, after being proclaimed open at a fixed upset price, when they may be either taken up for cash, deferred payment, or perpetual lease, at option of selector, who is restricted to 640 acres of first-class and 2,000 acres of second-class land for cash selections. Table D. — Deferred-payment Lands are thrown open for selection as above, but the price is 25 per cent, above that of cash or perpetual lease. Selectors are restricted to 640 acres, and must make certain improvements on the land. The freehold is acquired after either ten or fourteen years' annual payments. Residence is compulsory. Table E. — Perpetual-lease Lands are also thrown open for selection as above, and the rent is fixed at 5 per cent, on the capital upset cash price. The selector is restricted to 640 acres of firstclass land, or 2,000 acres of second-class land, and must make certain improvements, after which he can buy out the freehold. Leases are for thirty-one years, with perpetual right of renewal. The improvements belong to selector. Residence compulsory. The small areas are limited to 50 acres, but are otherwise held on the same terms as ordinary perpetual lease. Table G.— Agricultural Leases are let on application within the goldfields. They are limited to 320 acres, generally with an upset price of £1 per acre, on which the selector pays 2s. 6d. a year for seventeen years, when the freehold becomes his. Table H.— Village-settlement Lands, Cash, consist of village and small-farm sections not exceeding 50 acres each, declared open for selection at an upset price of not less than £5 an acre for village and £1 an acre for farms. Village sections are disposed of by auction amongst the applicants if more than one, and small farms by lot. Village sections must not exceed 1 acre, and small farms 50 acres. Table I. — Village-settlement Lands, Deferred-payment, are disposed of just as above, but the payments are distributed over ten years. They are subject to improvement and other conditions, as proclaimed from time to time. Table J.— Village-settlement Lands, Perpetual Lease, are disposed of like those for cash above, the rent being 5 per cent, on cash price. The freehold may be acquired. Improvements are necessary. There is little difference between these three systems and the first three mentioned, beyond the limitation in price and area. Table K.— Village Homesteads Special Settlements are declared open for selection. The choice is by lot. They are held on perpetual lease without option of purchase, are limited to 50 acres, and improvements and residence are compulsory. Of the settlements in existence the Government arranged to advance each settler up to £50 for clearing 20 acres, and the cost of building a house up to £20. This system of advances is no longer in force. Table L.— Special-settlement Associations are confined to associations of people who combine for settlement and mutual help. The lands selected so far are all held on deferred payment, with generally the same regulations as to improvements and residence as those mentioned in Table D. The cost of survey is borne by the association, and choice is by lot amongst the members, who are obliged to provide a settler for each 100 acres. Table M.— Homestead Lands in certain districts may be selected, after proclamation, for the mere cost of survey. Residence and improvement are compulsory. The limit is 300 acres, and the grant may be acquired after five years' residence and on fulfilment of conditions. Table N.— Small Grazing-runs are offered at auction at a rental of 2-J per cent, on upset price for terms of twenty-one years. Improvement and residence are compulsorv. The limit of area is 20,000 acres. Table O. — Pastoral Leases are of various areas, but generally large, and represent country too broken, or not fit for other purposes. They are offered by auction for various terms, as may be decided on, up to twenty-one years. Neither residence nor improvement is necessary, nor is compensation allowed for improvements, but (generally) they may be removed by the lessee at end of the term, or the runs may be offered, subject to the improvements, to be paid by incoming to outgoing lessee.

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