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The Journal of Edward Ward 1850-51

E. R. Ward's Land Selection

page 207

E. R. Ward's Land Selection

Although land purchasers bought 'Land Orders' at £3 per acre from the Canterbury Association in England, where the order of priority in the choice of land was determined by a form of ballot, the actual selection of land could only be done in the colony. Consequently the first month or so in Canterbury was spent by the more enterprising settlers—of whom Edward Ward was one—in viewing as much as possible of the country before making their final choice.

Each order for fifty acres of rural land also entitled the purchaser to one town section of half an acre in the capital (Christchurch) or a quarter of an acre in the port (Lyttelton). Both Christchurch and Lyttelton were surveyed in quarter acres because at that time it was not finally decided which would be the capital. Town sections were chosen in the same order of priority as that decided in the ballot for rural land.