1916-17 UEPAKTMENT OF LANDS, FOKESTS AND MINES. vii 



For the purpose oL' securing and maintaining a <lesirable class of settlers on 

 the Crown Lands of the Province and of being fully apprised of the nationality 

 and law-abiding intentions of would-be locatees, and, furthermore, with a view of 

 aiding and urging a win-the-war policy, and at the same time promoting the cause 

 of greater productioji, certain detailed information, in addition to that heretofore 

 furnished by applicants, will hereafter be required. 



Also for the ])urpose of more effectively discouraging and preventing " squat- 

 ting" or unauthorized possession of Crown Lands, and of more readily enforcing the 

 laws and regulations as regards land settlement, it was deemed expedient that in- 

 dividual applicants should be made to realize the importance and necessity of faith- 

 fully meeting their obligations, both to the Province of Ontario and the Dominion 

 of Canada, and should be required to subscribe to adequate promises incidental to 

 being eligible to purchase or locate lands. 



Applicants from this time on must state their nationality, and if not British, 

 promise to take steps to become naturalized and to obey unreservedly all the laws 

 and regulations, both of the Dcmiinion of Canada and Province of Ontario, under the 

 penalty of forfeiting all rights in or to the land or money paid on account of same. 



Eanching Leases, Licenses, Etc. 



While only one ranching lease of any size was issued throughout the year, 

 inquiries continue to reach the Department from many quarters as to grazing pos- 

 sibilities. The importance and necessity of increasing stock production has given 

 an impetus to the cattle and sheep raising industry, and with an annual rental of 

 only five cents an acre per annum and easy conditions as to stocking offered by the 

 Province of Ontario, substantial development in this business should be looked for. 

 While no technical attempt has yet been made to segregate the various grazing 

 areas from those that are primarily agricultural, etc., the Department holds in 

 readiness for the service of those likely to be interested in promoting the cause of 

 ranching on C^rowai areas, certain information preliminary to enabling would-be 

 ranchers going personally over areas and making a selection on their own behalf. 



In addition to the one grazing lease there were twenty-three Crown Leases 

 issued during the year for water power and other purposes. 



Licenses of Occupation to the number of fifty-three were issued and these 

 covered for the most part authority to occupy mining claims although other pur- 

 poses were represented : mill sites, water lots, power lines, ranching, public sites, 

 water mains and fur farms. These licenses are made subject to the pleasure of the 

 Crown and tJius their elasticit}' is ample protection to the public interests. For the 

 rights to secure sand and gravel, licenses to the number of twenty-two were issued 

 during the year. 



Vnder Appendix No. 8 may be seen a statement of all the instruments in- 

 cluding patents, etc., issued for the entire fiscal year. 



Free Grants. 



A slight reduction is found in the number of Free Grant locations carried out 

 for the fiscal year ending October 31st, 1917; the number of locatees being 610 for 

 an area of 78,192 acres, while fi20 secured land in 1916 covering 85,139 acres. 

 There were 147 locatees who availed themselves of the statutory privilege to pur- 



