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 (b) Commodore Erskine’s Proclamation.

(c) There was no reason shown why in equity the claim should be recognized.

In support of this last cause, Sir Peter Scratchley wrote: “I have ascertained, by inquiries on the spot, that the purchase of the land was not completed by you or your late partner, and that your negotiations for the land have at no time been acknowledged by the chief of the district.”

I may state that one of the partners has voluntarily retired from his alleged claim—the other still importunes the Government on the subject.

The applications for leases were based on the grounds of occupancy or original exploration. They were all temporarily shelved or refused until the places had been visited by Sir Peter Scratchley or one of his officers.

The following applications for concessions of land were recorded:—

(1.) From a firm in Australia, on behalf of a German Company, for the purpose of establishing trading stations.—This application was refered [sic] to the Imperial Government.

(2.) From the New Guinea Land and Emigration Company in London, to which the following reply was returned by Sir Peter Scratchley:—

“Being anxious to assist in every way the enterprise of persons desirous of developing the resources of the British portion of the island, I regret to state that the project, as laid before me in your prospectus, is altogether unworkable and premature.”

(3.) From a New Guinea trader, in order to enable him to start a company for the development of native industries.—The correspondence in reference to this application was never completed.

Permissive occupancy of Government land, for the purpose of erecting a house and store, was granted to two traders at Port Moresby, and also at South Cape.

Permission was granted to Mr. H. O. Forbes, who has a station at Sogere, about 50 miles inland from Port Moresby, to purchase land from the natives in that district.

A registration of claimants to land or to leaseholds, on the same plan as that adopted in Fiji, was in the course of compilation. As soon as this had been completed, the claims of those persons who had expended money in the purchase of land, or who had worked and cultivated land on terms of agreement with the natives or otherwise, would have received prior consideration as against all subsequent requests to lease or purchase.

In addition to the claimants already mentioned, there are others whose