§ MR. WEDGWOODI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the statutory grants mentioned on page 27 of Cd. 3729 (Straits Settlements) are in the nature of alienations in fee simple or of leases; and, if the former, will he take steps to prevent the increasing alienation of public land in Malacca and Penang.
§ COLONEL SEELYThese Grants are of the nature of leases. Grants in fee simple are prohibited by Straits Settlements Ordinance No. XII. of 1903, except in the case of an exchange of Crown land for other land already held in fee simple. As I have just informed my hon. friend, the terms on which Crown land is now alienated include provision for periodical revision of rent.
§ MR. WEDGWOODWould it not be better to have statutory grants or leases in these cases?
§ COLONEL SEELYwas understood to say that point would be considered.