Conditional Purchase without Residence.

This is a concession by which an area of not less than 40 nor more than 320 acres may be acquired, with certain restrictions, without residence. The applicant must be of the age of 21 years or upwards, and not at any time previously have been a conditional purchaser. The purchase-money is payable in like manner as for the ordinary conditional purchase, but is double the amount. The purchaser must properly fence the land within twelve months after survey—a certain latitude being allowed in exceptional circumstances—and must produce to the Local Land Board, after an interval of five years from survey,' evidence that he expended not less than £1 per acre in improvements besides fencing. Upon producing such evidence he receives a certificate of conformity, and may then, and not till then, transfer, alienate, or mortgage his interest. The estate may, however, devolve "by operation of law" at any time, upon payment of the instalments due. If the purchaser, in his original application, had not taken the full area of 320 acres, he may acquire the unselected balance by additional purchase. Once, however, having availed himself of this method of selection to the maximum area, he is debarred from making any other conditional purchase whatever.