Irving, John
John Irving, a land proprietor in Victoria, felt cheated after colonial officials reduced land costs from £1 per acre to four shillings and two pence in 1861. Irving had previously made a down payment of £50 for 159 acres in North Saanich - and angrily discovered two years later that he could have paid £33.26 under the new system. Irving demanded the government fully reimburse his purchase and reclaim the acres he no longer wanted. Colonial officials declined, however, as they had already refused similar demands and didn't want to encourage more by accepting Irving's claim. Officials briefly considered allowing Irving to choose 50 acres (to match his £50 down payment) and relinquish the rest of his contract; however, the government eventually deemed the idea unsustainable. With Irving and future cases, proprietors would select the best land and leave the government with unpopular acreages. In the end, Irving completed his purchase under the old system.1
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North Saanich

Victoria