Amendment agreed to, and section, as amended, agreed to.
On section 8-holder may obtain patent by extra payments where he is in default for residence duties solely:
Mr. A1EIGHEN: Under the law as it stands now and has stood for about three years the pre-emptor who has obtained patents for his homestead and is in residence on either his homestead or his pre-emption may, if he has done his cultivation duties and effected the necessary improvements, secure his patent by simply paying up. Previous to three years ago that was not the case; the pre-emptor had to complete his - residence duties as well in respect of preemption, and might complete them on the homestead. This rule was relaxed three years ago to the extent of enabling him, if he continued in residence after he was through wdth his homestead duties and had
his patents, to dispense with all the other residence duties by simply paying up. Cases, however, arose where the homesteader who had pre-empted left his homestead, forsook his residence duties altogether, came back and reinstated himself as a resident on the homestead, and then demanded his patent on the payment of $3 an acre. Cases of hardship arose where the department had to require such a man to perform his three years' residence duties. This provision, therefore, is to enable the department to give him this answer: you have abandoned1 your residence duties; if you do not want to go ahead and perform them you must pay $3 an acre extra for the land. There are cases where men who are in business want to avoid the necessity of the residence duties, and where it is felt that it would be equitable to allow them to do so on paying that extra price for the land.
Section agreed to.
On section 9-certificate of recommendation to holder of entry for a pre-emption on completing all duties except payment: