299 Transactions.—Miscellaneous. 
of accuracy in the definition of boundaries. I have no hesitation in saying, 
that but for the exercise of the greatest forbehrance, and that natural 
unwillingness which exists to embark in litigation with a neighbour, the 
Courts of this Colony might be fully employed from one year’s end to 
another in cases of disputed boundaries. In the larger towns, the settle- 
ment of such questions is daily assuming a more difficult aspect, owing 
chiefly to the extraordinary increase in the value of property ; and I have 
already known instances in which a claim for a couple of feet of ground, 
originally valued at a few shillings, has caused an expenditure of hundreds 
of pounds, when the value had increased from £20 to £50 a foot. It is 
familiar knowledge, moreover, to those who are acquainted with the state 
of the surveys in the rural districts of this Provincial district, for example, 
that in numberless instances, the boundaries of adjoining properties, for 
which grants had been issued, over-lapped to the extent of a chain and 
upwards, the later occupant being usually the loser in such cases, and 
being advised to submit to his loss rather than attempt to remedy it by the 
expensive and uncertain course of a lawsuit. In the course of my own 
practice I have had occasion to advise in dozens of such cases, and I cannot 
therefore but look with concern upon the probable introduction of a system 
of surveys which is calculated, as I conceive, to maintain the continuance 
of evils, which were being rapidly and satisfactorily got rid of, under the 
more accurate and enlightened system which it is intended to displace. 
But the public are even more concerned than the lawyers in such a 
matter, and if it be desired that the “Land Transfer” system shall 
produce its best fruits they ought to insist upon the adoption of the most 
effectual and scientific system of surveys, as that alone which is 
likely to produce such fruits. Under that system, as I have before 
observed, written descriptions are as much avoided as possible, reference 
to an accurate plan having already proved itself to be of very great 
value in simplifying and cheapening dealings. This fact alone justifies 
me in offering objections to any system of survey which is not 
founded on a sound scientific basis, and which is opposed to the practice 
and recommendations of writers of authority on such matters. It is a rule 
in societies such as that which I am now addressing not to discuss political 
questions, but the complete enforcement of such a rule would necessarily 
exclude even such a paper as this, which was, of course, never intended. 
It is not even, as I conceive, a violation of that rule on my part to observe 
that those who are engaged in the work of administering the Government 
of the Colony, ought not to permit experiments to be made in matters of 
vital importance to the community; and that when they are in posses- 
sion of, and have in effect adopted, the well-considered views of an eminent 
