Land is not available for Free Homestead Selection unless specially so proclaimed, and the area of no selection must exceed 160 acres. The term is five years, and during that period the selector must occupy the land by personally residing on it, and must effect improvements to the total value of 10s. per acre. A Free Homestead cannot be sold or mortgaged until a deed of grant is obtained.
GRAZING SELECTIONS.
Grazing Farms.
The greatest area which may be applied for as a Grazing Farm under any circumstances is 60,000 acres, but, as in the case of other modes of selection, each proclamation opening land for grazing selection declares the maximum area which may be selected in the area to which it applies. In the event of lands open under different proclamations and of a total area exceeding 20,000 acres being applied for by the same person, a rental limitation of £200 per annum must be observed as well as the maximum areas declared by the several proclamations. Thus, of lands open at 2d. an acre, the greatest area obtainable would be 24,000 acres; at 1½d. an acre, 32,000 acres, and so on. The term may be fourteen, twenty-one, or twenty-eight years, as the opening proclamation may declare. The annual rent for the first period of seven years may range from ½d. an acre upwards, as may be proclaimed or tendered. The rent for each subsequent period of seven years will be determined by the Land Court.
A Grazing Farm must be continuously occupied by the selector residing personally on it, or by his manager or agent doing so.
Within three years from the issue of the license to occupy, or such extended time as the Land Court may allow, the selector must enclose the land with a good and substantial fence, and must keep it so fenced during the whole of the term. In the case of two or more contiguous farms, not exceeding in the aggregate 20,000 acres, the Court may by Special License permit the selectors to fence only the outside boundaries of the whole area. If the proclamation declaring the land open for selection so prescribed, the enclosing fence must be of such character as to prevent the passage of rabbits. In the case of a group of contiguous Grazing Farms not exceeding eight in number, or 200 square miles in total area, and which are situated within a District constituted under "The Rabbit Boards Act, 1896," the Court may by Special License permit the enclosure of the whole area with a fence of such character as to prevent the passage of rabbits, instead of requiring each farm to be separately enclosed.
The selectors of a group of two or more Grazing Farms, the area of none of which exceeds 4,000 acres, may associate together for mutual assistance, and on making proof of bona fides to the Commissioner may receive from him a Special License enabling not less than one-half of the whole number by their personal residence on some one or more of the farms to perform the condition of occupation in respect of all the farms.
When a Grazing Farm is enclosed in the manner required, the selector becomes entitled to a lease of it, and may thereafter mortgage it; or, with the permission of the Minister, may subdivide or transfer it; or, with the approval of the Court, may underlet it.