In another despatch I have authorized you to adopt 4/2
per acre
as the upset price of all Country Lands in
Vancouver's Island, the same
price, after once the land has been offered to sale without being
purchased, to become a fixed price at which it may
bebe disposed of
without further auction. By the present despatch I have the honor to
authorize you to apply the same course of proceeding to the Public Lands
in
British Columbia.
So far as regards the occupation of land with a right of
preemption, you are aware from the
Duke of Newcastle's despatch N 23
of the
7 of May that
His Grace
has suspended his opinion until
receiving a report expected from you on the subject of
Captain Clarke's
scheme. The wish of the Government will be to adopt such plan as,
whilst it shall guard against abuses and against an undue appropriation
of land by individuals who have not the means of turning it to real
account, shall at the same time be best suited to the
circumstancescircumstances of
British Columbia.