2-278 (Original)

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Recommendations transmitted by His Excellency the Governor, with his Despatches, on the above subject, dated 3rd April, 1844, per ship "General Hewitt", as published in the "Sydney Morning Herald", of 13th May, 1844: 
1. - Every squatter, after an occupation of five years, shall have an opportunity afforded to him of purchasing a portion of his run, not less than three hundred and twenty acres, for a homestead.
2. - The value of any permanent and useful improvements which he may have made on the land, shall be allowed to him; but the land itself, (exclusive of improvements) cannot be sold for less than the established minimum price of one pound per acre. 
3. - Any person who may have purchased a homestead shall not be disturbed in the possession of his run during the following eight years. He must, however, continue to take out for the unpurchased parts of it, the usual license, and pay on it the usual fee of ten pounds per annum.
4. - A second purchase of not less than three hundred and twenty acres shall be attended with the similar advantage of being undisturbed for the next eight years; so that each successive purchase of three hundred and twenty acres will act virtually as a renewal of an eight years' lease. [246] 
5. - The right of the crown must, however, remain absolute, as it at present is, over all lands which have not been sold or granted, it being well understood, that the crown will not act capriciously, or unequally, and will not depart from established practice, except for the attainment of some public benefit.
6. - Persons who may not avail themselves within a certain period, to be hereafter fixed, of the advantage offered to them of purchasing a homestead, will be exposed to the danger of having any part of their run offered for sale, either at the pleasure of the crown, or on the demand of an individual. The value of any useful and permanent improvements which they may have made on their lands, will be secured to them, should a stranger become the purchaser.
7. - The person, whoever he may be, who purchases the homestead, is to have the remainder of the run.
8. - All sales to be as at present by auction - the appraised value of permanent and useful improvements, (which will be considered as the property of the former occupant), being added to the upset price of the land.
9. - As stated in the notice of 2nd April, a license is not to cover more than twelve thousand eight hundred acres of land, unless it be certified by the Commissioner that the twelve thousand eight hundred acres are not sufficient to keep in ordinary seasons four thousand sheep; no existing run is, however, to be reduced below twelve thousand eight hundred, on account of its capability of feeding more than four thousand sheep. But, if any licensed person have on his run more than four thousand sheep, he is to pay one pound for every one thousand above four thousand. A person therefore, having on a run of twenty square miles, five thousand sheep will not, as has been supposed, be required to take out two licenses, but will be charged an extra one pound for his license, or eleven pounds instead of ten pounds. If he have eight thousand sheep, he will be charged four pounds extra, or fourteen pounds in all. This is not stated in the notice of the 2nd April, but it forms a part of the proposals which were sent home, as before referred to.
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