X 
LAND AND THE LAND LAWS 
IOI 
should never have been uttered by any responsible 
servant of the Crown. 
Then what does the settler want, if he is not in love 
with those regulations which exist at present ? Here 
one must tread delicately : for obviously it is easier to 
be unanimous in opposition to a system which has 
been tried and found wanting, than in support of one 
which has yet to be tried. 
It is pretty certain, however, that the bulk of the 
population would welcome the following :— 
That increased precautions should be taken that 
grants of land should only be made to genuine settlers 
and investors. 
That when once the grant was completed, such 
grant should be on the terms of freehold or perpetual 
quit-rent. 
That the main object of the land laws should be to 
encourage an influx both of colonists and capital. 
That white occupation should be the most stringent 
of all conditions. 
That while grants should in the main be restricted 
in size, large grants could be made to companies or 
capitalists. 
Provided—that white occupation be not diminished 
thereby and that an increased minimum of capital 
be required. 
Thus if 5,000 acres demanded a minimum expen¬ 
diture of £ 500, 10,000 acres should require a minimum 
of ^2,000, 20,000 acres an expenditure of say £6,000, 
and so on. 
That all such cases should be judged on their merits 
and that as far as possible the aim should be to 
prevent too rigid a code prejudicing the development 
of the country. 
