LAND, LABOUR AND COMMERCE. 147 



"(i) That the country intended to be settled should be 

 previously surveyed and laid out in districts, subdivided into 

 farms of such sizes as are most usually granted, and that with 

 reference to the localities of the country and its natural divi- 

 sions, each district should not contain more than thirty-six 

 square miles, and that the farms should form squares in similar 

 proportions. . . . 



" (2) That the districts should be surveyed and submitted to 

 the approval of the Governor at least six months prior to being 

 open to the selection of individuals. The maps of the different 

 and vacant districts being open to the inspection of all persons 

 having orders for land, would enable such persons to know what 

 lands the Governor intended to settle, and also give them suffi- 

 cient time to examine the lands and make their selection, which 

 having done, the settler could experience no delay in being put 

 in possession or receiving their title deeds. 



" (3) Whatever portion of land may be given to the free 

 settlers, it should be optional for them to purchase a further 

 quantity in addition to their free grant, in proportion to that 

 grant, at 5s. an acre, paying a deposit of 10 per cent., and the 

 remainder by instalments every six months, giving in the whole 

 a credit of three years, when, on the purchase being completed, 

 a grant should pass to them. A failure in payment of any in- 

 stalments should not deprive the purchaser of his right, pro- 

 vided the whole arrears were made good with interest at the 

 period the last payment came due; a failure in the ultimate 

 would necessarily subject the original purchaser to the loss of 

 his deposits, and the land would revert to the disposal of the 

 Governor. 



" (4) Certain portions of each district should also be set 

 apart for public sale to individuals who have already received 

 grants as settlers. ... A similar deposit should be paid by 

 and credit given to purchasers of this description as to those of 

 the first, and the lowest price at which the public lands should 

 be set up for sale should be 53. an acre." ] 



Oxley thought he could carry out all these reforms with the 

 addition of two assistants to his staff. He had, however, very 



1 Bigge's Report, III. 



