9th, That all above fourteen years of age carried out by this Company pledge that they will not, directly or indirectly, purchase from the natives any lands till the Company shall have made an end of its purchases in investing the Company’s first funds, or at least till one year after the arrival of the first expedition, should the funds not be sooner expended. Any one breaking this pledge, to be held infamous, and beyond the pale of society.
10th, That every male above fourteen years of age be regularly armed, at his own, the Company’s, or the British Government’s expense, with such arms as the Governing Committee may think most fitting; submit to such military training as this Committee may think necessary, and be at all times ready to act in defence for the public safety. That all who go out pledge to this.
11th, As a chief element in the prosperity of a country is secure and unfettered possession of land, and easy transmission, that the tenure or condition under which the land shall be held, and mode of conveying it, in order to be of the simplest and clearest description, be allodial (without any superior), and The Book of First Allotment made out by the Register Keeper and the Surveyor be of itself sufficient evidence of the title. The lots to be described in this Book as definitely as possible; and the lines of demarcation or marches to consist of natural divisions, such as water-courses, inclination run or shedding of water, line of rocks, &c.; and, when these are not convenient, that marks prominent to view be stamped upon trees or earth-fast stones, or pits be dug, by the Surveyor. That this Book of First Allotment or Register Book (kept in a fire-proof apartment) have a page opened for each division of land, describing its name, boundaries, size, owner, in the fewest words possible. In the case of transfer, or borrowing money upon it, the same to be recorded, in the fewest words possible, on the Register page, and signed by principals and two witnesses: The lender, on receiving the money back, merely signing his name as receiver, attested by the Register Keeper and witnesses, and no bargain respecting land to be binding till registered in this Book. That possession, living witnesses, and the Register Book, be the only necessary title: But, in order to provide against the possible destruction or loss of the register book, the holder, upon requesting it, and paying the necessary cost, to receive from the Register Keeper a copy of the register page, describing his own lands down to a specified date, written upon a paper stamped by a peculiar die, used for this exclusive purpose, and signed by the Register Keeper, attested by witnesses.
In connection with the Register Office, a Bank might be formed, based upon the land-property of the shareholders, each of these landholders being allowed to draw out notes to the value of two-thirds of his land-shares, or more should the land rise in value, forming a currency of heritable bonds. The notes to be payable in gold or dollars, upon giving six months’ notice, the same as with heritable bonds here.[11] This would prevent any mischievous run upon gold, and at the same time keep up the paper to its proper value, affording a sufficient paper currency, and facility of borrowing on land-property, so important to the prosperity of the country, and so necessary to keep up the mental acumen and wisdom of the holders.—The regulations for this system of currency, and for many other things, cannot well be detailed in a Prospectus.
In the mean time, this meeting recommend to intending subscribers in every district or town which any number of intending subscribers reside, to form Branch Societies, and appoint a Head of Department or Committeeman, who can communicate with the central head, or attend general meetings, as the representative of his brethren. Persons wishing further information, or who wish to subscribe for shares, to apply by letter, post paid, to the Chairman. The applications for shares to be in the following form. The letters requesting shares not to be binding upon the subscribers, unless 200 shares shall have been subscribed for by Martinmas, 22d November 1839.
To Patrick Matthew, Esq. Gourdiehill by Errol, Scotland.
(Insert here the date and your residence.)
I hereby engage to take (Insert here the number of shares) of the Scots New Zealand Land Company, conform to the terms specified in the Prospectus issued by a meeting of intending shareholders, held at Perth on 24th August 1839, and signed Patrick Matthew, Chairman.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.