28 LAWS REGAEDING PROPERTY IN LAND. 



the northern islands^ of groves of cocoa-nut trees^ 

 ji\m o-rounds^ and other Avealth. Among- the Kow- 

 rareg-as^ there are^ according- to Gi'om^ three prin- 

 cipal people^ Manuj Piaquai^ and Baki^ all old men^ 

 but among- the Gudang-s, a young* man of tAventy- 

 five of the name of Tumag-ug'O appeared to have 

 the g-reatest influence^ and next to him Paida, not 

 more than six or eig-ht 3'ears older. 



It seems curious to find at Cape York and the 

 Prince of Wales Islands a recog-nised division and 

 ownership of land^ seeing- that none of it by cultiva- 

 tion has been rendered lit for the permanent support 

 of man. According- to Gi'om^ there are laws reg-u- 

 lating- the ownership of every inch of g-round on 

 Muralug* and the neig'hbouring- possessions of the 

 Kowrareg-as^ and I am led to believe such is likewise 

 the case at Cape York. Among^ these laws are the 

 following-. A person has a claim upon the g-round 

 where both himself and his parents were born^ 

 althouo-h situated in different localities. On the 

 death of parents their land is divided among* the 

 children^ when both sexes share alike^ with this 

 exception^ that the young-est of the family receives 

 the laro-est share. Marriao-e does not affect the 

 permanency of the rig-ht of a aa oman to any landed 

 property which may have come into her possession. 

 Lastly, an old man occasionally so disposes of his 

 property that a favourite child ma}^ obtain a larg-er 

 proportion than he could afterwards claim as his 

 inheritance. 



