The Land Act of 1885 is the product of the Stout-Ballance Minis try In an "explanatory preface to that Act, " published under the authority of the Hon. John Ballance, Minister of Lands " m 1885, special attention is drawn to the fact that " on full payment of the purchase money no further obligation iests on the purchaser, nor is there any restriction as to the extent of land he may acquire." The Act of 1887 remedies this m a measure by restricting the purchase of land to 640 acres of first-class land and 2000 acrea of second-class land. Out of this wise and proper restriction the dummyin" system was resuscitated with renewed * violence. The very means sought to stay it, have aided its growth and progress, Iso that now the young men ni New Zealand are casting anxious eyes to Australia, despairing of getting a free hold m their native land. It is time that some decided action were taken, if we do not wish to lose the flower of our popula- Ttis charitable to suppose that these dummies do not understand what they are doing when they sign the statutory "declaration " required by the Act They solemnly declare that they are purchasing the land " solely for their own use and benefit," and not " directly or indirectly for the use and benefit of any other persons whomsoever." And they know that they ™t doing so; yet they run the risk o * being placed m the dock for felony, and oftomng all the pains and penalties nnd Horace of perjury, m addition to Sh t =r is maximum area permitted by the law, and they can go on doing this for ever, be cause as soon as they get the Crown grant they can transfer the land to their equally criminal patrons, who find the cash and pay tke commission. Mr M'Kenzle has promised a full and searching inquiry into such transactions ; and developments of an astonishing nature, and most astonish ing to the " dummies," may be expected. 