LAND GRANTS TO IMMIGRANTS.

Evening Star, Issue 4206, 19 August 1876, Page 2

LAND GRANTS TO IMMIGRANTS.

To the Editor. Sir, - While sympathising with the writers for whom I deeply feel, of the letters which from time to time have appeared in your paper with reference to immigration and scarcity of work, there is &till another phase of this matter that I should like, with your permission, to direct attention to, viz., the "free grants of land to certain immigrants." After being nattered, liV e a great many other of my countrymen, by Home agents (who by the way deserve credit for their fertile imaginations), into a determination to emigrate, I made some inquiries as to passage money and was informed that I might either pay my passage or not, as I liked. If £ did the former I would be entitled to so much land on arrival—such land to be wherever I chose, and with which I could do as I pleased—live on it, sell it, or leave it to take care of itself. With this fair representation I was induced to pay my passage to this Colony. During the voyage I indulged in pleasant dreams of the hours I would spend at holiday time in shooting over and enjoying the other luxuries pertaining to '•my estate." On arriving in Dotoedin

amongst a* first M wuttflodtrt something about my free grant of land, Mid after some considerable trouble and repeated calls athhe Immigration Offioe, I ultimately obtained a certificate that I "was thia day. registered as an applicant for the purchase " of land under the Immigration Land Acts 1873, to the amount of L 20," together with aeopy of the Aet. I was at the same time directed if I wanted now to make application for land to apply at another office, where all information would be furnished me. On perusing the Act I found how. to whom, within what time, &c., such application must be made; but what surprised me was a clause providing that "any time after the expiration of two years from the date of purchase the registered immigrant -shall be entitled to a free grant from the Grown of this land on his satisfying the Minister that it has been occupied continuously by himself or othersof hia;ian^y^whichfwnay means under the Act 'wife, ~child, grandchild, nephew, and niece of the head of 'the iL! for tho period of two years, and one-fifth of the land has been laid down in artificial grass or ©therwwe cultivated, failing which the land is forfeited " I next visited the Land Office, and was shown; a map with the Crown lands depicted thereon, and. found that there, was little but barren hillsides scarcely accessible that might be claimed, and I carefully folded tip my certificate and the copy of the Act which had been presented me and left the office after Tieing favored with good-natured advice by the gentleman in charge to "try the diggings." Now, sir, can you inform me what this'socalled free grant of land is worth! It is. simply set up to induce people to leave com fortable homes and come here to, shall I pay starve? or was this Act passed so that the Government might: get rid ef this almost useless land after the best of it was perhaps in the possession of those who voted for the passing of the Act ? Or is it simply a blind to flatter people, into, the Tbeliefthat the Government is very generous! Perhaps I have not understood the Act aright; or my ideas may be wild; and if so, I trust sofne one who may know more of the matter put me right and inform me where I can "claim" land that will be of some value.; In conclusion, I might be permitted to suggest that agents at Home shoulif represent this place fairly and honestly, instead of making people believe that gold can be had here m handfulls. • We should thus; I think, have fewer but a better class of immigrants arriving on our shores, and! less dissatisfaction prevailing, as ope would know, really what to expect srn arrival here and would have himself to blame if he did not succeed.—l am, &a, ■ '.■■■: 1 ■'* S.J.L.: Donedin, August 19.