1915-16 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. vii 



Feee Grants. 



During the fiscal year ending October 31st, 1916, locations of Free Grant 

 laud were carried out to only 620' persons as against 1,355 persons for the preceding 

 year, while 155 persons purchased land in Free Grant territory as against 200 for 

 the year ending 31st October, 1915. 



Permission was granted to 232 locatees to assign their locations, the new parties 

 being required to meet all the requirements incidental to the issue of patents. 



The total area allotted to the 775 Free Grant settlers was 90,330 acres, or less 

 than one-half the aggregate for the previous year. 



Patents issued to 421 Free Gl'ant settlers who satisfied the requirements of 

 building, residence, clearing and cultivation. 



An analysis of this year's work with that of last year reveals the fact that the 

 important falling off of locations is in the newer parts of the Province. The Port 

 Arthur section alone dropped from 301 locatees to 119, of whom 39 were assignees 

 of former locatees. Rainy Eiver and Kenora Districts furnished only about one- 

 half that of last year, while noticeable reductions are also found in Sudbury and 

 Nipissing Districts. 



The Free Grant sections of Old Ontario have likewise experienced a decided 

 lull in homesteading. The office of the Crown Land Agent at Warren, in the 

 Sudbury District was closed and a new agency established at Markstay for the same 

 townships, the latter place being deemed more convenient. Blezard Valley Agency 

 was also closed, the necessity for its continuance being obviated by reason of 

 practically all the land being granted. For the purpose of meeting the occasional 

 demands of settlers in this section the townships forming such agency were trans- 

 ferred to Sudbury where they are now handled by the local agent. 



These figures are the lowest that have obtained in Free Grant transactions for 

 many years, and though the difference between this year and former years is quite 

 noticeable the reasons are more or less obvious. With the exception of two addi- 

 tional concessions in the townships of Gorham and Ware in the Thunder Bay 

 district no new lands were placed during the year under the operation of the Free 

 Grant Section of the Public Lands Act, and as by far the greater percentage of the 

 arable areas of townships at present open have been disposed of by location or other- 

 wise, the opportunities for selection are not so wide. Again the general publicity 

 and attention given to the Great Clay Belt in the Temiskaming district where there 

 are no Free Grant areas has detracted from Free Grant sections that might other- 

 wise be sought by prospective settlers. Besides, several townships in the Sudbury 

 district were withdrawn from settlement by reason of their proximity to the roasting 

 beds of the Copper Company, the Department not desiring to encourage settlement 

 on lands where clearance and crops might be imperilled by sulphur smoke. 



Finally the continuous call to arms and the ready answer by many settlers and 

 would-be land takers, together with the effects of the great war upon immigration, 

 has had disastrous effects upon the numbers seeking and securing free homesteads. 



Military Grants. 



The total number of Military Certificates issued to date, under the Veterans 

 Land Grant Act, 1 Edw. VII, Cap. 6, and amendments thereto, is 13,998. During 

 the year 57 letters were received from men or from the next of kin of veterans who 

 had served on the frontier during the Fenian Raid, but had only now heard of this 



