Thus, every man in the oom munity has a diiect interest m the question of their disposition. It will, I think, be granted that unless some very especial indirect benefit i» to be gained by the community at large, it would be injudicious and unwise to parl with the public lands to private individuals at a rate under their proper market value. The total revenue derived from iand in this Province since 1854 up to the 31st of December last is L2.165.G28, and the revenue for 1875 ftlone was L 204,556. The conservation, and if possible, the increase of this revenue, is an important end to be keptin viewin disposing- of these lands. The second end may be stated as follows :— The settlement of as numerous a population as is consistent, first, with the welfare &nd prosperity of the whole community ; and, se condly, as is consistent with the welfare and prosperity of the actual settlers themselves (i,e., viewed as a class, distinct from the rest of the community). The properity of the whole community has a right to be considered before that of the actual settlers themselves, viewed a? a part of the community only — not only on the ground that the whole is more important than a part, but for the further reason that +ne whole community is the owner of the land. In asmuch, however, as the prosperity of the en tire community can only" be affected by the condition of the actual settlers themselves, it will be sufficient for our purpose if we can de vise a scheme which will secure as large a popu lation as is consistent with their prosperity, without unduly sacrificirg the direct revenue from the land, All legislation which tends to the encouragement of persons possessed of low capacity and without capital to take up areas of agricultural land is in my opinion a fatal mis take. 