...Nelson. Pioneer pastoralists, often men with experience…

...Nelson.

Pioneer pastoralists, often men with experience as squatters in Australia, lease lands from the New Zealand government at the annual rate of £5 plus £1 for each thousand sheep above the first five thousand.

The leases are renewed automatically, which give the wealthy pastoralists a strong landed interest and make them a powerful political force.

In all, between 1856 and 1876, eight million one hundred thousand acres are sold for £7.6 million, and Two million two hundred thousand acres are given free to soldiers, sailors and settlers.