In the winter of last year Ik'ot'anga, the Military Governor of Hei-lung-chiang, furnished a report to the Throne dealing with the non-registration of land, the prevalence of litigation, the troubles of the bannermen ete., in the three districts of Hulan, Payensus and Suihua, and requesting to be allowed to defer the adoption of regulative measures until the arrival of the Deputy Lieutenant Governor Tseng-chi.
That officer arrived at his post in the third moon of the present year and me-monalist hes had long avd exhaustive consultations with him as to the best means to be adopted. The great difficulty they have to contend with is the rooting out of old abuses, as the moment one attempts to interfere with what has gone on for so long, one has at ones to encounter the opposition of the yentry and the influential families who, not content with passive resistance, would not hesitate to commence protracted lawsuits in the provincial courts and drag them out through all stages of appeal. It is this prospect which has hitherto deterred all and as a consequence the abuses have been allowed to take firmer roctas time went on, Memorialist proposes in this instance to carry through the measurement of the nonregistered land, no matter what obstacles aay be placed in his way, and trusts he may be enabled to carry it out without allowing the State to suffer any loss and without at the same time unduly irritate ing the people. He intends to go over all the land, except of course the mountainous, marshy, saline and otherwise unproductive lots, and to find out the exact area of the land which has been registered and that which has not. After measurement titles will be issued for the Jatter but no attempt will he made to recover back rent. With reference to unallotted Govermnent land which has ina great many instances: beenclandestinely appropriated and brought, cultivation, it would be somewhat srous to venture to expel all holders of the same. It is therefore proposed to have it measured, a list drawn the lots, and the holders and the value thereof assessed. The price of the lots at the value assessed will be demanded of the holders and on payment thereof deeds will be issued to them and the amount of rent payable fixed. Should they hereafter wish to dispose of their lots the transfer deeds will require to he registered in the us wil way. Memorialist has aly bad long consultation with Tseny-chi regarding the dest mode of dealing with the other questions already referred to, and hopes to be able to arrive at some satisfactory conclusion,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.