THE WORKING OF THE TASMANIAN LAND, SYSTEM.

Colonist, Issue 62, 25 May 1858, Page 3

THE WORKING OF THE TASMANIAN LAND, SYSTEM.

(From the Hobarton Mercury.) If anything were wanting to establish the worth of our new land scheme, we might find it in the reputation it has acquired in the neighbouring colonies. It is admitted that the advantages held out by it must prove highly seductive wherever they are proclaimed; and our contemporaries are sounding an alarm, and protesting that the land scheme of Tasmania will attract to .these shores large numbers of small farmers —men who would be willing to select and purchase our land upon credit, and who' would settle down upon the same, and by honest industry cultivate it for theirowns j behoof. The passing of our Land Bills, I too, will have'the effect of liberalising the embryo land measures of our neighbors; for there can be no doubt but that the colony which holds out the strongest induce-, ments in this respect,' will attract to itself the largest proportion of that agricultural, labor which 'id the marrow .arid of every young community. .Despite the indifferent reputation for wisdom and good breeding enjoyed by Tasmania, our Land Bills have, by their own intrinsic excellence, forced themselves into an honorable notice; ;Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Truly it would seem soj for those who have' habitually avoided everything Tasmariian, as its touch .were pollution, have taken our^Jahd scheme to bed[ : :\yitK them, and now: c.onfess that in its features they can discover ..much that is wise* enlightened^ liberal, jind lovely. Whilst, however, our land scheme is thus attracting attention and, winning disciples in the adjacent colonies,' we are rejoiced to find that the humbler classes amongst ourselves are. beginning likewise to discover the advantages which are to be derived from its position; and that the Government and the Surveyor-Ge - neral are urging on every Subsidiary measure *£0 give immediate arid easy access to' its privileges. The whole islatfd has been recently divided into 12 districts; and to' each a surveyor has been appointed: A map of these districts will shortly be supplied to of these gentlemen, upon: which will be shown all lands that have been already alienated, and such also as are still available to applicants either for rental or purchase. This will obviate much of the inconvenience, expense, and delay, hitherto unavoidable by the necessity of referring, personally or by letter, to the Survey Department. . No land in either of these dis-^ tricts c*n be alienated for the future without its haying been first surveyed by the; surveyor located in that district, who will immediately enter upon his plan all such additional lands as may be disposed of, so that, on application to him, any person can at once ascertain what lands are or are not "open for selection, thus obviating the necessity for an) r reference being made to the Survey Department at all. A branch of the Survey Office has" also been opened in Lauriceston, and placed under the management of Mr. Scott,, the well-Jchown surveyor. This gentleman at present opens his office on two days only in each week—Monday' and Tuesday. It is: expected that the Government vriil yet be induced to have a branch office in Launceston, and that it will appoint some gentleman' permanently to afford every information to the' public with regard to the lands. This would be an improvement iipon the temporary office now opened on these two days; although there can be no doubt but.that the advantages of even tho present arrangement will be felt and appreciated. We merely advert to these facts in ; order to show that the Government is alive to the high importance of making the provisions of, the Land Bills available as'soon as possible by removing every possible obstruction out of the way of their alienation, and by affording every facility to those who' maybe desirous of becoming .purchasers. .With the fame these measures are .gathering .wherever their features become familiar, and with the determination of the .ministry to throw open the lands for selection, there can be no doubt.but that large numbers will be induced to avail themselves of so rare an opportunity .as is thus afforded to" them. These are hopeful facts for Tasmania; but these, jxe not all. '..-.-.

The Waste Lands Act and the Unsettled Lands Act have now only been in operation about two months. It is but fair to guppose t'lat the vast majority of the people" is still unacquainted with the nature of the privileges conferred by them; that they are unaware .of the right to select 320 acres, or less, and to purchase it by private contract at £1 per acre; or, that by adding a small gum to1 the purchase-money for the privilege, they can pay the' said purchasemoney in annual instalments of one-tenth. We feel convinced that there are but comparatively few who know of this clause in the Waste Lands Act'; and yet, 'ing this, in the short time which has elapsed since this Act became law, what do we find?

There have been no less than 152 applications made to purchase land under the 19th section of the Act, those applications comprising an area of 19,063 acres. Amongst the applicants will be found a vary large proportion of men who are generally considered the most useful in agricultural countries—we allude to those who are hard-working and practical, arid who are anxious to obtain small farms in order that they may settle down upon and cultivate them as their own property. Of these.applications, eight have been for an area ranging from 20 to 50 acres each; 51,- from 50 to 100 acres each; 58, from 100 to2oo acres each; 14, from 200 to 300 acres each; and 21, from 300 to 320 acres each. Under the provisions of the Unsettled Lands Act there have been an area of 107,520 acres applied for as follows:—10 applications for an area of 10,000 acres each j one for 4,520 acres; and one for an ar^a of 3,000 acres. No stronger proof than these applications could be adduced to show how readily the provisions of these Acts are appreciated by those who become acquainted with them<

Nearly the whole of the lands applied for under the 19th section of the Waste Lands Act, and which lands witt, in all probality, be alienated, are situated on the north coast, between Port Sorell and Circular Head, the remaining portion lying in the Huon district. It must be a source of gratification to find that those forwhose benefit this -section of the Act was specially intended, and who, by availing themselves of its provisions, are most likely to increase the wealth and importance of the colony^ have manifested so unmistakeable a desire to reap the advantages thus placed at their disposal. We believe that the SurveyorGeneral is using every exertion to place the plans in the hands of the Surveyors in each district; and we should strongly advise those who are in a position to do so, to make a selection without delay. There can be no question but that thousands will hasten to Tasmania, when the provisions of these Bills for alienating the waste lands become known; and a competition will be created which at present Jhas no existence, and against which, consequently, intending purchasers have not now to contend.