THE IvAND QUESTION AND COI,ONISATION lOQ 



(pueblo). The colonists had to satisfy the same conditions as to morality, 

 age and trade as those required from colonists engaged directly in FAirope . 



Mr. X. Y. had to pay the expense of the iourney of the colonists 

 from the port of embarkation to the land granted, and make the ne- 

 cessary advances for the installation of the colonists on the same scale as 

 those made by the Government in direct colonisation. He had to gua- 

 rantee that the colonists introduced by him would remain at least a year 

 on the land assigned to them. As soon as the new centre of colonisation 

 should permit, Mr. X. Y. with the concurrence of the Chilian government 

 had to establish a school and the needful sanitary service. 



If ]\Ir. X. Y. did not fulfil his obligations, he was to forfeit the sum of 

 25,000 pesos given by him as security and the State woiild resume possess- 

 ion of the land, respecting, however, the rights of the colonists already 

 introduced. 



These are the essential features of the contract between the Govern- 

 ment and the colonisation agencies. 



The agency in its turn makes a contract with each colonist accord- 

 ing to a given form, assigning to him a piece of land of inferior area 

 naturally to that he obtains by the concession, because, the land rising in 

 value by cultivation, that portion not distributed to the colonists consti- 

 tutes the profit of the agency. 



The contract defines precisely the rights and obligations of both 

 parties, which may be thus indicated ; the Society provides for the colonist, 

 besides his journey from Europe, everything needful for cultivating his 

 land and also means of subsistence till the first crops come in ; the colonist 

 agrees to repay the agency in four annual instalments, the agency accept- 

 ing a mortgage on the land as security. 



In 191T there were 26 concessions to agencies ; for most of these the 

 time had almost expired without the families having been introduced. 

 Other agencies had failed, and given up the attempt. Only a few could 

 say they had succeeded. 



In the same year (1911) nine concessions were withdrawn from agen- 

 cies that had not fulfilled their contracts. 



There are various causes for these failures ; many agencies declare 

 that they were not able to fulfil their contracts as the land was not assigned 

 to them, that they could not expel the former occupiers etc. Some have 

 brought actions against the Government and not always unsuccessfully. 



In accordance with the above laws, more th an one flourishing colonial 

 nucleus has been founded; at present (191 1) on land appropriated for the 

 purpose there are 2,236 famiUes consisting of 12,122 persons occupying 

 an area of 135,169 hectares. The value of the improvements made is 

 calculated at 8,797,000 pesos, but this is probably a very low estimate. 



The Government now proposes to colonise the territory of Magellan 

 also dividing it into small holdings. But the work has hardly been 



