APPENDIX TO REPORT FROM THE LAND COMMISSION OF 1886-87.
ably, some properties paying more than one hundred times as much as other properties of equal value, and unless something is done, this inequality will continue with respect to Leases for 999 years, practically, for ever. Is there any reason why this inequality should continue, and if not what do you consider a fair price for the Leaseholder to pay for its redemption? Would 20 years' purchase be too much or too little?
61. In your opinion would the opportunity of redeeming ground rents be taken advantage of to any extent?
The present yield of Crown Rent is about $170,000 per annum. Twenty years purchase would amount to $3,400,000. In consideration of the very large requirements for public works is there any reason why this amount should not be raised?
62. Do you consider that the holder of a lower class of Lease or tenure should also have an option to redeem his Crown Rent, and if so upon what terms and how to be fixed?
63. How many Crown Leases are there for 999 years? How many sections and sub-sections? How many owners of sections and sub-sections and how many houses built thereon? How many Farm Lots, Rural Building Lots and Garden Lots ? Are there any section or sub-section holders on these? If so, how many? and how many houses? How many Squatters Licences and how many houses, and of what decription? How many trespassers and how many houses and of what description? How many houses of all descriptions are there that are rated in each class?
64. What property is held by the Military and Naval Authorities, and what amount of land is prevented from being occupied by the action of the Military Authorities ?
65. Is the present mode of granting Crown Land satisfactory, or would you recommend that a Crown Land Board should be appointed to consider applications for the grant of Land, to sit at frequent intervals and to report to the Governor and generally to have the management of everything connected with Crown property? If so of what members should the Board consist and should they be remumerated or should their services be given voluntarily ?
66. Would it be desirable that the Board, if appointed, should have agents outside of Victoria to receive applications, and would it be desirable for the Inspectors of Police in the outlying districts to be such agents and report to the Board, or should the agents be of a different class?
67. Is it advisable to encourage applications for the disposal of land outside of Victoria ?
68. If so, are there any concessions to Chinese sentiments which, in dealing with the waste lands of the Colony, the Government might make so as to induce respectable Chinese to build their Family houses in the country districts?
69. Are there any concessions which the Government could make in dealing with such land for the purpose of increasing
manufactories ?
70. In your opinion has the time yet come when it is advisable to have Government Agents who would also be Magis- trates in Kowloon and in the Country Districts of Hongkong, to attend amongst other things to receiving applications for grants of land, to look after the Crown's interests in the Forests, to have the superintendence of the collection of Crown Rents and Rates and Taxes and generally to look after the Crown's interests in outlying districts, and if so how many should be appointed in the first instance?
71. With respect to Forests, is it advisable that they should be placed under the Crown Land Board?
72. With respect to sales of land generally, are there any peculiar difficulties in the making of Titles owing to the present arrangements respecting the grant of Crown Leases and assignments of sections and sub-sections? If so, please state what difficulties are experienced in these or in any other respects and the best way in your opinion to remove such
difficulties.
73. Are there many Titles to land in your experience which the Court would refuse to enforce upon an unwilling purchaser, and of what nature are the objections to the Title?
74. Are Conditions of Sale with regard to blots upon Title frequently made and what are the most usual blots for which conditions are provided?
75. Is the market value of property injuriously affected by such conditions ?
76. With respect to existing dispositions of Crown Land, is it in your opinion possible without a full and complete inquiry into the whole of the property to make the present Titles correspond with the actual land occupied? Or is it desirable to inquire into all the Crown Leases already granted and to grant new Crown Leases upon equitable terms as far as practicable in accordance with present holdings giving to each Crown Lessee and to all holders of sections and sub-sections a new Crown Lease and thus starting afresh, and commencing registration de novo ?
77. If in your opinion it is desirable that such a course should be adopted would you recommend that it should be compulsory, or should it be made compulsory upon the application of a Crown Lessee, or of a majority in number and value of holders under any one Crown Lease?