Murdoch and Rogers to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary) 2642, CO 305/7, p. 187; received 22 March

Emigration Office

20th March 1856 Sir

We have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 17th instant accompanied by a letter from the Deputy Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, proposing a modification in the Land Regulations in Vancouvers Island, in favor of persons who may be desirous of increasing their holdings or whose eligibility can be established by substituting a system of payment by four annualannual instalments instead of requiring the whole price at once. The Deputy Governor points out that as a system of free grants exists on the adjacent American Continent, a liberal arrangement is necessary to induce Emigrants to settle in Vancouvers Island.

2. The usual objections against receiving the price of Crown Lands by instalment, namely that it induces purchasers to take up more land than they can cultivate—that it creates great difficulty in obtaining payment for the Land—andand that it converts a large body of persons into debtors to the Crown can scarcely apply in any serious degree to Vancouvers Island. And as it is of moment to encourage the resort of Settlers to the Island, and for that purpose to diminish the unfavorable contrast which Settlers might draw between its Land Regulations and those of the American Continent, it appears to us that the Hudson's Bay Company ask no more than is reasonable in the modification which they now propose. We would accordingly recommend that if the Colonization ofof the Island is to be continued in their hands, they should be allowed to substitute for the present cash payments for land, a payment by annual instalments, with such checks against abuse in the system as may in their opinion be necessary.

We have the honor to be Sir Your obedient humble Servants T.W.C. Murdoch Frederic Rogers Herman Merivale Esq. &c &c &c