106
Even before the arrival of Sir Henry Pottinger's last despatch, we were disposed to recommend some concession in their favor. But what that concession should be seems to us no more doubtful. The parties themselves request, and Sir Henry Pottinger now states that he is disposed to grant, tenure in perpetuity, on condition...
301 Supposing that the parties received, according to common practice, a Lease for a period deemed sufficient to compensate them for their outlay of Capital without having any positive term at the end, it won't be right at the outset to offer them such terms. The simplest course is a renewal at the end of every successive period of 75 Years and to let them accept or reject those terms as they pleased. A condition that the Government judged reasonable might be attached, viz. that the ground-rent might be revised & altered according to the current value of Land in the Colony.
"We confess we should apprehend very much difficulty from this plan. Supposing a test could be applied... But by the present project, no such test could be applied. They must remain in possession of their premises at any rate, whether they like it or dislike it.