OUR CANADIAN LETTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10423, 27 July 1895, Page 2

OUR CANADIAN LETTER.

(Fbom Oue Own Correspondent.)

Ottawa', June 17,

Wibh the opening up' of'the "great '"Northwestern plains, 1 about the' year '■"'■ 1870, qvtr'gOOiOOO.OOQ. acres of. arable land were placed at the :disDorol,,bf X the Government. ~lfc iwaa therefore.highly import'mfc ■. that wise rand; carefaUyrponsidered laud laws should, be made /-.applicable to that VKsb territory. • Within the- 25 years which have elapsed since that.timethe,Government has alienated a large proportion of these Grown lands, \ and' the test of 'experience warrants the .;iu6graerit that the laws and .regulations: then adopted by ' the Government have successfully' accomplished the main' purpose in view. That purpose was, primarily, to secure rapid settlement and to; build up iadostrioua and contented communities in the North-west. Over 300.000 settlers are now in the Province of Manitoba (and the North-we>t3m territories, and whers onceva3t: herds of buffaloes and bands of Indians roved in. wild freedom, may now. be. found great smiling fields of grain, comfortable farm homss,: and the abundant possessions of the cattle ranchers. 'No .complaint'is heard against .the; land laws which obtain, nor against the regula-j tions under which they are administered.1 It is, therefore, fair to assume that, in the tfircunisfcsAices which presented thetn^lves' before the Canadian Government in-1870, the land laws in 'question are the best 'that' could bav<j been adopted; That the Canadian Government was strongly influenced by the land policy of the United States,.as applied to the contiguous plains on the southern side, of .the line, goes .without saying. Profiting by the espetiepca of our neighbours, however, it was the p arpoj c of the Government to improve upon the American system, and they undoubtedly did. Having said this much by way of introduction, I propose to briefly sketch the insin features and bcotjo of

''' '• THE CANADIAN--LAND-lAWS. •-■■-" Firsi. let me say that the public lands or Canada are administered ,by tho respective provinces, except in. Manitoba, the North-wesS Xerritbrias, and-a belt 40 miles wide along tha line of the Canadian Pacific. railwy.in.British Columbia—making up the section to which I have just alluded,— where tfce Crown lands sre under the control of the' Dominion. A system of rectangular survey has been adopted by which the land is laid out in townships, each of which contains 26 sections of 640 acres in area, One-tweutieth of the public dora&io, under federal control, falls to-the-Hudson's Bay Company i v .commutation.of the rights enjoyed by that corporation under■its charter, previous to the entry of, Manitoba and the North-west territories into confederation. Oneeightesnth of the land » set apart for school purposes, aud is administered by the Federal Government in trust for the province or territory, as the case maybe., bchool lanos .nfty only be acquired by purchase at public auction, and cannot be taken homesteads. They may, however, bo leased for grazing purP<R*ailw 2 y'Lands.—K is the policy of the Government of Canada to aid, by grants oE land thecoustructioaof colonisation railways thro-jgh the various portions .of the Nocth - west, aad for this purpose all the odd-numbjred seofcions (exclusive of those reserved for f chool purposes) are reserved from sale and settltmont Under tbis system lam quite wishin Se mark in »,in S thatSO,ooo.ooo »cre«.o! land have be-n ulienated to railway corporations. The' Canadian Pacific alone received 25,000,000 -ores under the first grant, and'subsequently returned 10,000,000 at a nomiaal allowance of Idol p*i" *cle- 'fneevea-numbered 6ectionH, ot-bor th*n those which have been stt apsrb >tt> satisfy the claim cf Mia Hudson's Say Company, are bold for homestead entry hy actual 6ettlers— that is to »y« suc'l °* them as aru not specially valoa b'.e for their mineral, water power, timber

iriflniriinTiriiirm"inniiin i ■iimmmii wm'i*iii*hi<^mfirii H1 himw i'ihhih lt or hay, or as being in proximity to a present o* prospective town site. ; ,Th 9 Homestead. Principle—Every person wiip is ( the sole bead of a family and every W2l« who has - cttaii'.ed the age of 18 years ij elisibk* to make a hornefitead entry for 160 nc.rai, fur-which area ho can earn o free patent by residing on the land, for not less than cis mcuths in each oE tbrpo years, and cultivating a re>vr,onable proportion of it. The land is actually given away, linci for at least 10 yearn the Government gave indirect assistance to immigrants taking np land.in the North-west. It vrcs argued tbat the settler was wanted, and without him the land wss worthless. . A homesteader may &cd to his holding by.purchasing an additional 160 acres at the regulation pries of 330 l per; acre, ocefonrth of the purchase monsy to be paid in eai-h iat the time of-the purchase and the remainder lin three .equal instalments yearly thereafter. I Homesteaders may, not assign or transfer their | landVntil.they have obtained a certificate,, jvra['perly signed and conntei'sigied,. to.'.show that they-are entitled' 'to" patent froia the Crown. Provision -is 'iaade by whicK "persons or companits, who may assist'sefctleri in; taking up* homesteads; may obtain a- lisa; on the homestead, of the.Bettler;.Bo assisted as security for the repayment of ;the; money advanced, which must.not in any ciise exceed. 600dol. ;■>.■:; .:■'■--.

, Grazing Laridsr-^ettkrs .and b&erp who ,are "engaged _ in l! tHe 'Tajsing .■.pf' ." live stock ~mAy. obtain;pleases" for. grazing parposes of tracts' of aiiy esterit ;up to 100,000 acres, without public competition, at' a yearly rental.of-2c per acre, but they must -within three years place one • head of cattle on / eaoh 20 acres, under lease. Lands: under grazing lease-are not withheld from homestead entry by,actusl tettlera. S.heep may only be Brazed.in certain districts, as prescribed by-the Minister of the Interior. V Permits to cat bay may be obtained by actual;settlers at.the: rate of lOe per acrs. or 10c per ton. To^: all bthtrs the" rates chargeable are Idol per acre or Idol per ten,

.Coal ' Lands.'-^Earids • containing-.anthra-cite'; coal rare : sold at 20dol per sere "ca<<Ji ;*■;■ those «> containing-' cSal; other -:." than anthracite; at lOdolc per acre easily Wfcere there are conflicting applications.theland is disposed of by public competition. Where; the surface right only has bsea alienated' from the Crown the person who; subsequently; desires to acquire .the,'mining,'" rights .most .first ; furnish predf that'hehss also acquired' the Burface rights;' v' l;;';'.' -; ';'/' -'•'■';;--- -V- ■' :\-'-'T'" : . Mineral -Landsi—Quartz and placer milling locations may. be entered for, and operated .daring a term of five years", upbn: payment'; aHnnally;:ofr a 'fee of sdbl and furnishing, proof : that lOOxiol has: been ; expended in each j ear •in : actual mining operations. The; locations may bs purchased at any time before the expiry of thevfiye yearaat sdol per acre, caahupon proof that, the clajjnani'has expended 500'dol in actual mining' operations. Miners are deemed to have abandoned/theic claims when they absent themselves for more than three days without leave of absence "from theT)epartment of the Interior.^ ■'-"< .■■i ' ' •■'^.-Timber"-Lands.—Yearly'-licenses- to- xufe timber' 'are disposed ■• :of "by -ipublic cok--petition. ;, T A;,v:ground •: rqnt■"■ of ;sdol ;-per square mile and &; royalty :of-5 per. canfe.on all sales are charged in every case, in addition to such .bonus as ; may bs offeredj at the time of .co'tnp^titiQn. _ . necessary, ~~t^e , Bcensee must erect and operate a sawmill juoAcomiection with the: berth. v Under this feature of the law, licenses, have been . issued: By': th|-Dominion Goyernment'for1 millionsibf acres-^fbripanada 18 coinspipuously^rich m'ioft.timter lsindsl 'in additiotfto this, all the provinces derive1 a:considerable -irevenue' from" the timber: linds'held by them under the terms ;of -'c'dnfederation. Actual.. settlers may i obtain 'permits uto '-■ cut timber^ for -their, .own - use withoutivhainDg i.to compete ;l for the?:privilege, when-.their\own holdings hold no ttm"ber^;,.:..^_.j-,V .-.■-?v-..,■.",--'-i--- ' .. : lianC Taxotiop,--Tlie: Feders^'.Gowerimient levie3 no taxes. ; 6n Ijind^'in any^part ,6f the. Domini.on; ;AU .land ,i^' hoover,'taMd !by 'the ' :;munieipal'*c6rinqil£.. 'h~aying."'.'- jurisdiction to; the" extent 'o't from a is3i 'to two cents on the: dollar' of acf^ mirketeble value, aocbfdih'gto the needs of the'iK>mtnunity. This: I will -make clear in a. subsequent lett«roa the Canadian system of taxtttionl— Tbs reTrehue from-Dominion: lands only execeded'a'. million dollars'in the year of.the greatManitbba boom, and now averages about 250,000db1i This means that the sales of ; ;land are merely ..nominal, >hile ."ilie'^. large area 'taken^up .for^settlement Jba.s, ten" alienated, under.;, the free grant system. With/.millions /of (acres- "hi biyh'' class land still 'untenanbp,^if. seems ■improbable; that' 'the public ddasain will yield maile than: 'the baref "coat'"of administration for some yeaiß to ccme. • This eipsrieace is in striking: 'contract with the situation..in some of the "Australasian colonies, where ?;thß ipablio lands- produce a large .rsvenueit^There are no longer, any free lands in the United States, and the timejnay.not.be far..distanfciwhen thereal value of fine farming lands in Canada,,will bs .realised..,:..,.-.., ; -.,... 0 -,. -. r --,i ■^^^■'''\":^'v^' r *' State" OBrnership.—While there is.v.s&adily gcowing feeling, in v favour ofi'a "single t^; : ;appiied';;Boieiy to landj .; subject. to municipal ■ rates, 'it has never been maintained' in:-Parliatnent by .anyone that: lands Iteld by the' Crown -should not Ue-absoluteilyaUe.n-ated; ?ndt has anyr propositioa-'been made for a progressive tax," or ;an'ascending rite;, such as you hayo.in-New Zealand.; This country ii-too large and too deeply concerned in-;securing settlers jito seriously- discuss j'sueb. .problems. Wheth^ this ,is wiee or.not. ; tha future must reveal. „As t^ indicated : at : the outset, the public domain b'as 'not been directly' regarded as an'-asaeti' but Biinply as an, inducement to settlers. ■■'■''• );;l>' ':v7'-'*;; \:' '^:'"^ : ;:'': '"■'"' : ,'; ■'• -tisiT of the'hoit. 4 j. Q'-wiXD:, J::)\,

The Hon. J:*G. Ware! arrived in"' ihe' capital •on Mdhdßy.i'the IOtH inst./ aecompinied'ljy his wife -and -• private >■ secretary, -and -left on_ the fol'owiDg "day;: He ' *pent' many hours ,i in ■■close 'conference ;with" tne: Premier - and. FinaCce ■ Minister : in diiicugeing , matters 'relating to trade... It.would -bs.premature to hint at the probable results of .this conference; but ii; may be taken for granted- that! on botti Elides there was shown the moet earnest desire to, bring. Canfida' and New.Zealaiid into the dostsi; possible touch with ;e»ch otiber; As there Vdoe3 not seem'to be any serious obstacle in the w\i j, it isfair to assume: that's comprehensive measuroofCrecipiocity will be ebon given the force 'of: law.. It is to be hoped this will ba done, ma«Eueh as: there are fair prospects ■that the bargain will-;prove satisfactory to both parties.r Hr.jVVard impressed .those who met him in this capacity as; a man of clear business initincts and havitig a .perfect grasp of the affairs of-his colony. He, was shown every courtesy that the. members of. .the Canadian Government could^ bestow in such ashort time, and waBI'sent across the obntinent in & private car."" lir this;flying: visit Mr; Waid imitated gome'bf=hiß illustridos predefaessors from the Antipodes. Sir GeorgeDibbs camehere ia-1882, srriviDg in' the morning and" leaving in the afternoon; Hon. ,Robert, Reid, Minister of Defence for Victoria, only spent two days, at thecapital.: Sir-Thomas M'llwr?ith. remained in ■ Ottawa, for r a day and a-halE; - while the Australian delegates, to the Colonial Conference made ■-they; .escape from the country immediately after their official business had been concluded.;' At the same time, I am bound to

confess' that Eot one of them'left a sferonger impression than did the wide-awaka representative from New Zealand. "■ ■.:■■■• . :

GENEBAL ITEMS.

- The great murder trial at Toronto, in which Lthe'Hyiims brothers wete > charged with the murder of young Wells, in order to secure life insurance to the extent, of 32,000dol; ended in a disagreement of, the-jury. They will, therefore, be re-tried in the falU The, two men, Hendershott and Welter, who.were convicted of a similar crime, were hanged at St. Thomas this morniDg. .

" ■■Parliament js still in session, with a foil? prospect of continuing until the middle of July, •the proposition to grant woman suffrage,' to ■which I alluded in iby last letfer, was broughb to an issue last week, and secured « votes in a House of 213. The measure was not seriously discussed. The question of prohibition was voted on last night, and the affirmative proposition was defeated by a small majority. The debate did not last more than two hours," which may bj taken to show the state of public opinion in relation, to the matter, The Protective policy of the Government was made the subject, of a three weeks' debits,-' and was affirmed by aa overwhelming' majority. The situation in.relation to the Manitoba school question still continues to wear a serious aspect/ On the 14-th iDst-snt the Manitoba Legislature passed a resolution practically refusing to heed the remedied order sent to them by the Dominion Government. That order involved the recognition-of .the rights of Roman Catholics to separate schools, in accordance with the decision of. the Imperial Privy Council; but Manitoba is. bound not. to-.restore separate schools. . The whole country is divided on tbis issue and it is impossible to guess at the result' It is, however," quite clear at thhrst-ige that both political p.ircifs are anxious to have the matter settled without the exetcise of Federal power. To do this there must be a compromise, and to bring that about there teems to be a general willingness to let the question rest, nntil after the general elections. ■

THE SECRET OF BEAUTY is found in Cuticura. So»l>, the most effective skin pi'.rifying aud beautifying soap iv the world, &s well as the purest and sweetest for toilet and nursery. It is the only preventive of pimples, Wacfchesuis, red, lougli, aud bily skin, red, rough hands with shameless nails, dry, tain, and fallinc; hair, nod simple baby blemishes, because the oulj- preventive of". inflamuiation and clogging of the pores, the cause of minor affections of the skin, scalp, and hair. SaJe greater than the combined sales of all other slue and complexion soaps.

—A medical man, formerly assistant, to an East Londou doctor, rootni!y came into a legacy of £2000. After a' lengthy search the lucky recipient was discovered in the Meoland Hell Shelter for Outcast?.

CAVOUK CIGARS.