the
Enclosure 1.
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Extract from the Report of thing and Commission
Page xvii.
of 1886 - 1887%
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225
In consequence of complaints arising in the year 1847 from the Landowners of the Colony in regard to the land tenure of the Colony, and the high Crown Rents, it was, after much consideration, represented first by Governor Sir John Davis and afterwards by Governor Sir George Bonham, that the extension of the term of 75 years on which the lands of this Colony were then held, or the grant of the lands in perpetuity, would be accepted as a boon by the merchants, and Governor Sir George Bonham suggested (Despatch No. 64 Financial of 26th. August,
1848) that he might be authorised to extend the term of tenure from 75 years to any other that Her Majesty's Government might approve of, and mentioned that at Singapore the term is for 999
years, and that the intention there was to convey to the land- -holders all the advantages that attach to a permanent grant, without saddling them with the inconvenience sometimes attending the tenure of real property.
In reply to that Despatch, Earl Grey stated (Despatch No. 76b of 4th. December, 1848) that fully appreciating the difficulty in proposing any plan, short of the actual
reduction of the rents, which would prove entirely satisfactory,
to the general body of Landowners, he was inclined to concur in
the opinion that to extend the term of the existing leases would
be the most expedient course to adopt. Earl Grey then authorized
the Governor to take the necessary measures for granting these
leases in virtual perpetuity for the term of 999 years. There- -upon the following Government Notification was published:-
Government Notification of
3rd. Larch, 1849.
"It is hereby notified that, under instructions from Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, all
Crown
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