Election Notices.

West Coast Times, Issue 213, 25 May 1866, Page 3

Election Notices.

No. of Home-

" The reason why there are no returns before 1859 is, that at first the pre-emp-tive rights were granted by the Board without written descriptions. It was subsequently found necessary to have written applications, the same as for freehold land. Almost all those who applied in the earlier years had subsequently to put in written applications. There may be a few who have not done so, and these could only be found by going through the minutes of the Board. But the exceptions arc so few that the above amount would not be much altered. The total Homestead Pre-emptivo Rights may be put down at 59,000 acres. " (c.) Improvement Pre-emptive Rights. — These are granted for lands cultivated, fenced, or improved; the amount of pre-emptive right being regulated on a scale established by the Waste Lands Board, for its own guidance. The following return shows the quantity which has been granted up to the present time. Tho same remark as that made with regard to homestead pre-emptive rights applies to these, as explaining why the return is so small for the earlier years. But the fact is, that very few improvement preemptive rights were applied for at all, or granted, before the year iaan >

"Taking into account the fow not described in earlier years, the whole amount may be put down at 190,600 acres. " The totals therefore will stand thus : Acres. Canterbury Association, say 40,000 Homestead , „, 60,000 Improvement 100,000 Total 190,000 "But from this a considerable deduction has to be made for land which Iras boon inoludod iv pro-oinptivo right but has now been purchased. I have no return of this, but the quantity must bo considerable, and the total amount now held under pre-emptive rights must be proportionably loss than that stated abovo." I would first call your attention to tho fact that it is only within tho last two or throe years that^tho pre-omptivo rights have assumed their present magnitude. I havo observed that Mr Travors has attacked mo for not having dealt with this question in the last session of the Provincial Council. I might, in reply, ask Mr Travors why, during tho many months that ho was a member of tho Executive Council, and had not only far greater opportunities of influencing tho Government, but a far groator opportunity from his professsional practice of knowing the evil into which the system was expanding, he kept total silence upon the subject until after he became a candidate for the Superintendency. Without blaming him for his previous silenco and inaction, I merely claim that he shall be equally generous to those who had far less opportunity than he had of knowing the state of the question. I may also observe that ho petition was presented to the Provincial Council during tho time I held a seat in that body ; nor, s» far as lam aware, was any demand made by tho public for an alteration of the law. Having, however, now examined the subject, I perceive that a growing abuse exists. If the land is to be placed under pro-emptive right at the rate of from 30,000 to 40,000 acres per annum, it is perfectly clear that tho colonisation of the country will be very seriously impeded. I believe no one complains of the comparatively fow remaining pre-emptive rights of the Canterbury Association, which are annually decreasing, and will soon disappear. I believe there is equally little objection to the homestead pre-emptive rights,

Numb jer. Acres, 1857 ... 1 i-.. 50 1858 ... 0 ... 0 1869 ... 17 850 1860 ... 33 1,650 1861 ... 128 6,430 1862 ... 138 7,850 1863 ... 195 11,270 1864 ... 212 19,247 1865 ... 267 38,485 1166 ... 113 10,353 Undated.. 350 Total.. 1104 1 1 .\ 96,535

st teads. 10. of acres L 856 ... 1 250 L 857 ... 0 • l o LBSB ... 0 0 L 869 ... 12 2,810 LB6O . . 33 8,250 1861 ... 28 6,980 L 862 „ 40 10,000 1863 ... 28 6,915 .864 ... 24 6,000 .865 ... 22 6,105 .866 ... 5 1,070 Totals... 193 i 47,380