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The following recommendations have been made by Mr. H. 

 S. Ranford, Government Land agent at Katanning, with reference 

 to the areas in tlie southern district : " Katanning, April 30, 1897. 

 (i.) If the land along the (ireat Southern railway is to be settled 

 and improved to any great extent, it is very necessary that the pro- 

 visions under which second and third class homestead leases can 

 be obtained should be legally amended, so that such leases might 

 be granted throughout the south-west division. (2.) Taking the 

 Hordern area, 80 miles wide, between Beverley and Albany, this 

 would contain about 12,000,000 acres, and I consider that dividing 

 the land into first, second, third class, and what might justly be 

 called ' poison land,' we might fairly assume that we have 3,000,000 

 acres of each sort ; so the necessity for making provision for second 

 and third class land is readily apparent. (3.) The classification 

 should be made after selection, as the area is so vast and beyond 

 our means to survey in sufficiently accurate manner to show in our 

 plans as required by the present Act. Rent should be paid at second 

 class rates, pending inspection. (4.) The sooner arrangements can 

 be made to grant homestead leases, the better for these districts and 

 the colony." 



