2
Land can be acquired in Costa Rica by foreigners on the same terms as by Costa Ricans, as follows:
1. By purchase, held in freehold leasehold is not in use, although terms might be arranged privately with owners; in such case, public documents can be drawn up and registered.
There is a very complete system of land registry in force, and all transactions, including mortgages, have to be inscribed at the public registry, and pass through the office of direct taxes as well.
2. Municipalities were formerly granted the right to certain amounts of State lands, and these rights, known as gracias, can still be purchased, and land taken up under them.
3. Denouncements of State lands by peasants can be made under certain conditions, up to an area of 50 hectares; a certain amount of development work has to be done, and title is granted in perpetuity after proof of development, and after two years' residence on the land denounced, 4. Large tracts of State lands, outside the settled parts of the country for the most part, can be acquired under special concession from the Government.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.}
JAPAN.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[F 4606/223/23]
No. 1.
[December 13.]
SECTION 1.
Mr. Graham to the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston.—(Received December 13.)
(No. 78.) My Lord,
Panamá, October 7, 1921. WITH reference to your Lordship's circular despatch of the 9th August, 1921, asking for summarised information of such legislation as exists in Panamá regulating (1) immigration, (2) laud-owning or leasing rights of (a) Japanese, (b) Chinese, (c) other coloured races, I have the honour to make the following report :-
(1.) With regard to immigration, I enclose the required particulars with respect to the Republic of Panamá and the canal zone.
(2) In connection with land-owning or leasing rights of Japanese, Chinese, &c., I have the honour to state that, under authority of the Panamá Canal Act of the 24th August, 1912, and an Executive Order, dated the 5th December, 1912, copy of which is enclosed herewith, all privately owned lands in the canal zone were acquired by the United States Government as necessary for the construction, maintenance, operation, protection and sanitation of the canal. The canal zone has been cleared of owners of private lands, and it is the policy of the Government not to lease or sell land within the canal zone for agricultural or industrial purposes.
There is no law in force in the republic placing restrictions on any race in the matter of owning or leasing land.
I have, &c.
CONSTANTINE GRAHAM.
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Summary of Law Governing Immigration in Force in the Republic of Panamá.
ALL foreigners may enter the republic with the exception of professional beggars, gipsies, anarchists, lunatics, dangerous maniacs, idiots, criminals, vagabonds, adventurers, or vagrants of recognised bad conduct, consumptives, lepers, epileptics, and, in general, all foreigners suffering from repugnant or contagious diseases.
The following are also excepted: Chinese, Syrians, Turks and North Africans of the Turkish race. (A booklet giving the legal provisions governing the exclusion of these races is enclosed. Enclosure A 1.*)
It rests with the sanitary officer in the ports of the republic to examine all foreigners who enter the country with the intention of remaining, in order to ascertain if any of the inmigrauts ar Suffering from any disease above mentioned, and to prevent their entry or to compel them to leave the country.
The captains of vessels, and companies, societies or individuals who bring any person whose immigration is prohibited into the country are obliged to return them to their place of origin or to some place outside of the republic, and shall incur a fine of from 700 to 400 Dalboas for each individual that is clandestinely introduced.
No foreigners who are otherwise prohibited to reside in the republic will be permitted to enter by land across the frontiers of Colombia or Costa Rica, nor will they be permitted to enter unless they are in possession of at least 25 balbous to keep them until they can obtain employment. Such foreigners must present themselves before the first Panamanian authority, and declare their name, age, state, profession, religion, nationality, previous residence, and must prove that they carry sufficient funds to allow
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