Lands were now divided into town, suburban, country, and mineral. The two former might be sold by auction, at upset prices to be regulated by the Governor; country lands at fixed price and limit as to quantity.
Pastoral Lands were classed A, B, and C. Those under Class A could only be let for one year, under depasturing licenses, at the annual rent of two shillings for each hundred acres; but holders of land within a Class A license might run one head of great stock for every 10 acres. Class B lands might be leased for 8 years, with preferable claim to renewal, in lots of not more than 10,000 acres, but any number of lots to one person at £5 yearly rent, subject to the same depasturing rights as in Class A; and tillage leases, of not more than 320 acres, but any number to any one person, at one shilling an acre.
There was a further division made of Northern and Eastern districts, the former to the North of the Murchison River, and the latter from 30° South latitude to the coast, and between the meridians of 121 and 129 degrees East. In these, Class A included all land within three miles of the sea coast, and Class C the remainder. The lands in Class A were for annual license, at a rent of five shillings a year for every 1000 acres for the first four years, and of 10 shillings for the next four years; those in Class C might have the lease extended to 8 years on the same conditions, by paying a fee of £5 at the commencement of the lease.
Mineral lands were those known, or supposed, to contain minerals, and might be sold, on application, in lots of not less than 80 acres each at £3 an acre, payable in three years, and in three instalments. Mining Licenses might be granted for one year subject to renewal, at the rate of two shillings the first year, and four shillings the
