The difficulties you experienced in providing surveyed
country
lands for agricultural Settlers were explained in your despatches of the
4th July and
18th of October last and the present Proclamation
carries
into
effect the measures to which you had found yourself compelled to
resort of granting occupation of unsurveyed land with a future right of
preemption.
The Proclamation has been laid before Parliament in compliance with
the provisions of the Act 21-22 Vic: Cap. 99, but I shall delay to
convey to you any final decision
uponupon it until I shall have received
your report upon the scheme of
Captain Clarke R.E. for the disposal of
the Crown Lands of
British Columbia which I forwarded to you with my
despatch N
o 3 of the
7th of January which has crossed your
despatch now under acknowledgement.