The Westport Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1874.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1224, 30 October 1874, Page 2

The Westport Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1874.

The introduction of so inauy immigrants in jS t ow Zealand under the system of free passages and nomination by friends already resident in the colony, has almost shut out from consideration the inducements offered to those who choose tv) pay their own passage money, and thus dispense with all obligation to their friends or to the government of tho colony. Of this class there are still many arriving in jNew Zealand. Persons possessed of some means, and whose first impulse is not unfrequently to invest in land. To such some special advantages are proffered by the " Immigrants Land Act of 1573." The second section of that Act provides that every person of the age of 18 yeai s and not exceeding GO years, arriving in New Zealand from any part of the world except Tasmania and Australia, and who shall have paid the cost of his or her passage money shall be entitled to a free grant of laud of the value of £2O sterling. To the head of a family—such grant being made proportionate to the number of his family—twenty pounds worth of laud is also granted for every member over the age of 1-1 years, and ten pounds for each member of lesser age. In the term " members of family" are included not only wife and children, but grandchildren, nephew, and niece of the bead of the family. It is essential, however, that before leaving, a port of departure in the Home country, any intending claimant must obtain a certificate showing when and by what ship he will leave, and the name and age of the applicant and the name and age of his or her family, as the case may be, and such proof shall be furnished within sixty days after arrival to the Immigration Oilicer at the port or place of arrival, whereupon, if satisfied with the truth of the statement, such officer will register the claim and record also the amount in value to which the applicant is entitled to select land. These preliminaries settled the newly arrived immigrant may take five years to look around for a desirable location, and may at any time within that period apply to the Minister of Lands and Immigration to purchase for him land to the amount in value whereto he is entitled, specifying the particular piece of land (Waste Land of the Crown open for sale) he desires to call his own, and also adducing evidence to the satisfaction of the Minister that he, or he and the several members of his family on account of whom he claims to be entitled, have resided continuously in New Zealand from tho date of arrival to the date of application. The purchase of the laud—in one block—being completed, the registered immigrant will be entitled to occupy it for two years. At any time after the expira* tion of two years of occupancy if the applicant has meanwhile cultivated for crops or planted with forest trees one fifth of the land, he becomes entitled to a Crown Grant, but if the land is suffered to remain unoccupied and uncultivated for that period it becomes forfeited and is sold for the benefit of the Crown. In case of death of the registered immigrant during the period of two years anv devise of such laud made by him to any members of the family who emigrated with him would be held valid as if the immigrant had received a Crown Grant thereof. Under any other circumstances, until the issue of a Crown Grant, the interest of the registered immigrant is uot assignable at law or in equity. The Act further provides for regulations by the Governor in Council to bo made for the purchase of laud by associations not being, within the meaning of the Act, members of one family, and for free grants of land to such associations. Thus under regulations easily understood and as easily complied with, free laud is offered to all immigrants who pay their way to New Zealand and are content to abide here (except those from tho neighboring colonics). To those poss ssing means to pay their own passages and who object to tho indiscrimiuato associations of \free imtnigratiou, the Act offers tangible inducements aud should, as it becomes better known, attract to these shores the class mostly l to be desired. Small capitalists who relying on self help start on their colonial career upon an independent ! footing.