The Cordova daily times., 1919-06-05
NEW HOMESTEAD LAW APPLIES
 TO ALASKA

Orders were received by the terri torial land office and field service rep resentatives of the general land office which are of vital importance to the homesteader, and which will be of great benefit to the Alaskan settler. The changes made by the new regula- tions, according to the local officials, are sweeping.
 The commissioner of the general land office in instructions to all re- corders and receivers of United States land offices announces that the time required for homesteaders to remain on the land during each year has been where climatic conditions render it advisable The local land office rep resentatives say that this will apply to Alaska and especially to this portion of the North.
 Commissioner Tallman's instruc- t1ons to the various receivers follows:
 Under the homestead law, as it has heretofore stood, a homesteader is entitled to a leave of absence in one or two continuous periods not exceed ing in the aggregate five months in each year after establishing residence, being required to file notice at the be- ginning of each period. It is provided that in case of communication IA months actual residence must be shown, no credit eing allowed for the periods of these allowable ab-. sences.
 By the act of February 25, 1919 (Public No. 257), the following clause is inserted in the law:
 Provided, That the register and re- ceived of the local land office under rules and regulations made by the commissioner of the general land of flee may, upon proper showing, upon application of the homesteader, and only for climatic conditions, which makes residence on the homestead for seven months in each year hardship, reduce the term of residence to not more than six months in each year, over period of four years, or not more than five months each year over a period of five years, but the total residence required shall in no event exceed twenty-five months, not less Fxyo 0f xxy1,s soh C1on hn in o1h year; proof to be made within five years after entry"
 g. An entryman desiring to avail himself of the privilege accorded by this act must, within one year after the allowance of his entry, file in the local land office an application (pre- ferably on the approved for1h) con- sisting of his affidavit, corroborated by two witnesses, setting forth the climatic conditions which would ren- der it a hardship to reside upon the land for as much as seven months in each year, and stating whether he wishes the requirement in his case to be fixed at six months residence in four successive years or at five months residence in five successive years. The affidavit of claimant and the witnesses may be executed before any officer authorized to administer oaths and using an official seal. If the showing is satisfactory, you will promptly forward the application to this office with notation of your al- lowance thereof, by special letter. If it is not satisfactory, you will reject the application, subject to the usual promptly forwarded by special letters.
 If the application requests reduc- tion to five months residence in each year, you may, if proper, grant partial relief; that is, fix the residence period at six months in each year, your de- cision being subject to review by this office on appeal from your decision, of which the party will be notified with all promptness.
 3. Where a homesteader has se- cured reduction of the residence re- quirements to six months in each year, he may, at or before the termina- tion of the second year of his entry, file application for further reduction; that is, to five months in each of five years.
 4. To entitle a homesteader to the benefits of this act, he must show that the climatic conditions in the vicinity of the land entered are ordinarilyI not in exceptional years-such as |