No. 62

I have had before me your despatch, No 104, of the 19th of
February, with a copy of a Proclamation which you had issued for
regulating the disposal of the Crown Lands in British Columbia.

You will since have learned from my despatch No 16 of the 7th
of February last, the principles which it appeared to me desirable to
follow on this subject. I am glad to perceive that the same views have
very much prevailed in preparing the rules which you have announced, and
I have no objection to their general tenor.

I trust, however, that on the receipt of my former despatch you may
have been led to reconsider the question of deferring payment of one
moiety of the purchase money for two years. If ten shillings an acre
be a higher price than can be reasonably expected to be paid in cash, on
which point I should be quite prepared to defer to such judgment as you
may form, I cannot but think that a smaller price with prompt payment
would be preferable to incurring the numerous difficulties which
invariably surround the attempt to enforce payment by instalments.

Under the present rules, if payment of the second moiety should be
resisted, it would be extremely difficult to eject persons who by the
very conditions of the case would have been in occupation of their lands
for a period of two years. And again, if some of the land-owners do pay
their obligation, whilst others do not, a grievance arises out of the
distinction. For these reasons and for others adverted to in my
previous despatch, I shall still be glad that you should give this
provision your reconsideration as to future sales. The terms of sales
already effected cannot of course be altered.

The proposed reservation of one fourth of the lots in the proposed
Capital for sale in the United Kingdom and the British Colonies appears
to me decidedly objectionable. It can be of no use except to stimulate
the acquisition of property by non-residents. This is one of the worst
evils to which a new community is liable. The lots are bought by
speculators who hold them on a chance of a rise in value, with the
effect in the meanwhile of obstructing the progress of the Town,
interrupting its communications, and creating a nuisance to the holders
of adjoining lots. This provision should be rescinded; and if there be
any places either in the United Kingdom, or in other Colonies, in which
you have already empowered any Agents to sell specific lots, you should
immediately recall those powers, but recognising of course any sales
effected before the receipt of such revocation.