16 PLATEAU AND VALLEY LANDS

i

No person can hold more than one pre-emption claim at a time. Prior record of
pre-emption of one claim and all rights under it are forfeited by subsequent record of
pre-emption of another claim.

Land recorded or pre-empted cannot be transferred or conveyed until after a
Crown grant has been issued.

Such land, until the Crown grant is issued, is held by occupation. Such occu-
pation must be a bona fide residence of the settler or his family.

The settler must enter into occupation of the land within sixty days after recording
and must continue to occupy it.

Continuous absence for a period longer than two months consecutively of the
settler or family is deemed cessation of occupation; but leave of absence may be granted
not exceeding six months in any one year, inclusive of two months’ absence.

Land may be considered abandoned if unoccupied for more than two months
consecutively.

If so abandoned, the land becomes waste lands of the Crown.

The fee on recording is two dollars (8s.).

A pre-emptor of surveyed land, or of unsurveyed land, when the survey thereof is
effected, after being in occupation for not less than three years, shall be entitled to a
certificate of improvement, upon proving to the Commissioner by declaration in writing,
of himself and two other persons, that he has been in occupation for at least three years
and made permanent improvements to the value of $5.00 per acre, including the clearing
and bringing under cultivation of at least five acres.

Every person pre-empting surveyed or unsurveyed crown lands shall after the
issuance of a certificate of improvement be entitled to a free grant of such land, upon
payment of a Crown Grant fee of $10.00.

Pre-emption land in British Columbia is free.

Two, three or four settlers may enter into partnership with pre-emptions of 160
acres each, and reside on one homestead. Improvements amounting to $5.00 per acre
made on some portion thereof will secure Crown grant for the whole.

Coal and petroleum lands do not pass under grant of lands acquired since passage
of Land Act Amendment of 1899.

Timber lands are not open to pre-emption.

N- Crown grant can be issued to an alien who may have recorded or pre-empted
by virtue of his declaring his intention to become a British subject, unless he has become
naturalized.

The heirs or devisees of the settler are entitled to the Crown grant on his decease.

Government Land Agencies
The following is a list of Government Agents with whom pre-emptions may be filed.

Lands in outlying districts, in which there is no resident agent, are dealt with in the
Lands Department, Victoria, R. A. Renwick, Esq., Deputy Minister of Lands.

NS Che steer ea ere eect oie aptanoNne Seaccelnta area J. A. Fraser..............Atlin.

(SAsliteisuts anes vocumam Grok eboees he Go WiGrains* secon Barkerville.
Coast Ranges, I, II, III................ R. A. Renwick........... Victoria.
Rortebrasciaee ten erator JRebe Eloosonhes eee Fort Fraser.
lazeltoneee ee eee eee S. H. Hoskins............ Hazelton.
prince. George eaenaeetr rena ae is A Wiklerne lasses: Prince George.
Skeenav eee er ree cerns J. H. McMullen.......... Prince Rupert.

Land Locators

It is customary for private individuals to offer their services as land locators in
the several agricultural districts herein referred to. By communicating with the
following, the names of reliable landl ocators may be procured; but it must be remem-
bered that pre-emptions cannot be staked by an agent:

DISTRICT ADDRESS PLACE
Skeena River.......-......- Secretary Board of Trade..........Prince Rupert, B.C.
Bulkleyancos see oneahereens Bulkley Valley Association.........Smithers, B.C.
Fraser’River..s-- s- ose Secretary Board of Trade..........Prince George, B.C.
racers Riv.cteneaen eee Secretary Board of Trade.......... Willow River, B.C.
INechakossneimeii aires Secretary Board of Trade..........Wanderhoof, B.C.

Graham Island.............. Secretary Board of Trade.......... Masset, B.C.