Colonial Despatches

I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's Circular Despatch of 23rd June last, transmitting Revised Regulations on the subject of Land Privileges to Naval and Military Officers, and directing me to make them generally known with a notification that they are totake take effect from the 1st October next.

2. Your Lordship further directs me to prepare and forward for your consideration a notice specifying the length of residence and the description and value of the improvements on allotments of Land made to Naval and Military Officers which I may deem to be most suitable to the circumstances of this Colony to entitle an Officer to an absolute grant in exchange for his location Ticket.

3. There has been only one instance in this Colony of such a Grant as theRegulations Regulations refer to; and then residence only was required to obtain the Crown Grant. What is given is really so very little, preemption on the most liberal terms being open to anyone, that it would scarcely be fair to call upon an Officer to make any stipulated amount of improvements before the issue of his Grant. I think that the Grant should be given if he adduces evidence that he, or his family, has continuously resided on the land described in his location ticket for two years as required by Section 398, of the new Regulations now forwarded to me. For thepurpose purpose of this residence improvement must have been made by the erection of buildings and otherwise, fully to the extent of any amount which it would be fair to require in the circumstances of this Colony.