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A T L A S OF AUSTRALIA—1886.
LAf^D,—Subsequoutly to the estahlisbroent of responsible Govenimont
in 185G, attempts were mado to deal mth the puWic lands. In
1861, IV inessure passed the Legislature whicli opened tlie lands of the
colony to nil who had a desire to enter upon the occupation of the soil.
Under this law, Crown Lands, not specially reserved for public purposes,
and outside certain fisod limits around to^v-ns containing 100
inhabitants and over, were open to purchase subject to certain conditions.
The minimum area available was decided to be 40 acres,
and the maximum 320 acres. The conditions wore simple, and dui-ing
the early days of free selection wci-e, in many cases, very laxly carried
out. Residence for a terai of three yeavs, and improvements to the
value of £1 per acre on the area occupied, were the legal conditions,
but no departmental macliinery existed to ascertain whether the law
Ivad been complied with. 'L'his ted to considerable abuse; purchases
were completed where no attempt had been made to satisfy even the
lelter of the law. The claims of the lessees, who had long held a
monopolv, were dealt v.Hth at the same time by tho Crown Lands
Occupatien mtcd in the v astoi-al districts;
improvements representing not less than £40 gave the owner
the right to purchase a certain area at an appraised value, which at ñrst,
seldom exceeded £1 por acre. These alienations were known as
Improvement Purchases. Abuses became couneeted with them
in after years which led to their limitation, and finally, under
the Land Act of 188-1, they were abolished. Within gold-fields small
areas were sold iu virtue of improvements •, this provision was intended
to meet tbe necessities of business-men and trades-people who
clustered around the commercial centres of tho various "diggiugs,"
An Amending Act was carried in 1875, which attempted to deal
with niomcreus abuses that had become conspicuous under the original
law, and the ma^mum area was raised to 6.10 acres. The law in
regard to sales on account of impiwemeuts was made clearer, and the •
minimum age, at which conditional purchase would be valid, was
fixed at 1(3 yeai-s. Previously this |)oint had not been settled, and as
application by an agent was permitted, purchases were made in the
names of infants, in order to secure the land. Tatiug up land on
behalf of another, a frequent occurrence in some of the pastoral districts,
and known in the colony as " dummying," was also dealt with,
butnotsatisfactoi-ily.
During 1880, a Further Amending Act passed the Legislative
Assembly. This measure reduced the improvements of conditional
pm-chasers to ten shillings per acre, but extended the term of residence
to five years. The increase in the latter condition was aimed
against the practice of ti-ansfer, which had become so general,
Facilities for transfer, it was found, completely frustrated the intentionoftheframeroftheoriginallaw.
Insteadofsettlementbeingcommensurato
mth sale, the land passed from diiuHnie« into the hands of
largo owners, and reverted generally to its original unoccupied
condition, The estensive auction sales of country lands, which took
place throughout the colony, tended to tho same end.
Dissatisfaction arose among all classes, and the law, which had
stood as a power iu the land for over 20 years, and meted out fair
justice while conditional purchase was confined to the Coast District,
where there was an absence of conflict between occupier and purchaser.
was at last repealed by the measure of 1884. Previous
legislation on the subject of land took place without regard to the
natural divisions of the colony; the Act of 18(31 made divisions, but
these were based on the pi'Ogress of population and settlement.
The law of 1884 attempted to decido between the capabilities
of the Coast Lands, Middle Lands, and the Great Plains, and,
ignoring the strictly geogi-aphical boundaries, aimed I'ather to
make the law correspond with the character of climate and
soil. There is no doubt that here we have an advance in
the right direction. In the history of free selection, it has been
illustrated repeatedly that the capabilities of the three divisions differ
materially. An area of 640 acres, where the soil is alluvial, as on the
banks of the eastern rivers, may bo ample for a small farmer in the
Coast District, while a holding of sii
would result ultimately in financial r
this fact, and provided accordingly.
puKihase remains very much the sa
Purchase without residence, but at
certain stringent conditioi
The principlB of decentralisation embodied in this measure is
perhaps that which distinguishes it more than anything else from
previous legislation. The Department of Lands, with which rests
the administration of the Land Law, had for years previously been in
a chronic condition of congestion; vexatious delays occured on evei"y
hand, and business, in the form of letters and applications, had so
accumulated that it required the utmost vigilance on the part of the
officials to keep the arrears within reasonable proportions. The fault
apparently lay in the system, which attempted to force more work
through a channel of fixed dimensions, than it was capable of rece!\
ing. The new measure essayed to remove this evil, and by
dealing finally Avitli matters iu the district to which they belonged,
i-educe the work at tho centre. Such a soheme had suggested itself
previously to more than one of tho higher officials, but it was only in
the legislation of 1884 that i-efoi-m was put into practical effect, and
tested. The colony was divided into sixteen districts, and for each of
these a Board, consisting of three membei-s, was appointed. The law
empowers such Boards to deal finally, \vithin well defined limits, and
subject to appeal in cei-tain cases to the Seci-etary for Lands, with all
questions arising under tho law. In foimer years, decisions were
given by the various Ministei-s for Lauds without publicity other thaa
to those concerned. The new law provides tJiat judgments on cases
by the Minister and Boards shall be given as in open court.
The sales by auction, so much abused in the past, were limited, the
area for one year to be sold throughout the colony being fixed at
200,000 acres.
Among the remaining matters dealt with iu the Aot are. Ringbarking
on Crown Lauds, Dedications for Public Purposes, Reserves,
Roads, State Forests, and Transfers.
The general character of the measure may bo inferred from the
fact that it repealed laws previously embodied in ten Acts,
GOVERNMENT,—The mode of government adopted in New South
Wales closely resembles that which obtains in the paa'ent country; a
marked similarity is also apparent in the method of maintaining and
administflring the different laws. The Legi.'latnre is composed of two
pai-ts, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly. The
members of the former are nominated by the Crown, and hold their
positions for life. Seats in the Legislative Assembly are determined
by the voice of the people, Tho colony is divided into seventy-two
ore members according
•sidence in a district and
s electors. Meuibei-s of
enacted by both divisons
Electoral Districts. Each retm
to its population. All adults of si;
subjects of the thi-one of Britain ai
e eligible :
the Assembly are chosen by ballot,
of the legUlature. but iu matter:
ind expenditui-c
popidar section maintains the sole right to interfere. The Governor,
who is appointed by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom, is at
the head of the Esecative authority. The admiuistration of tbe
various laws is carried out by the members of the Government for
the time being. Tho Ministei-s, of whom there are nine, are the
advisers of the Governor, and are responsible for their actions
to the Negislative Assembly. The colony is self-goveruing, the
Imperial authority being exorcised ouly in matters of an international
chamcter.
dimensious, iu the interior,
J. The Act of 1884 recognised
Near the sea-coast conditional
e as under tho repealed laws.
higher upset price, and with
idded. In the Central Division
if a conditional purchase has been raised to 2,500
PRODUCTS AND TRADE.—New South Wales, at first known as a
producer of wool, and later on in its history, as a country rich in gold
and other metals, now possesses considerable variety in its products,
and has extended its trade to nearly every ]>art of tbe world. It is
still largely engaged in growing wool, but with soil, the capabilities
of which are almost unlimited, attention has been given to other fields
In 1874, 75,OUO,OOOlfis. of wool, repre.-enting i. value of 15,010,125,
wei'e produced; at the close of 1884, ten years after, the annual
production had increased to 174,000,0001b8., with a value of ,1;«,1I.5S,1Ü0.
Statistics could be quoted to show that similar increases are
taking place yearly in every department of production.
Gold obtained in tho mines of Now South Wales, from 1851 to the
cud of 1884, amounted to tho largo total of 9,.'>38,0S)1-880^8,, repi-esenting
a value of £8.5,3(31,550. During the year 1884, 53 coal-mines
wore in operation. The quantity of coal raised was ¿,749, lüü tons,
of the value of £1,303,077,
Iu 1884, 2,935 vessels, representing a gross carrying capacity of
2,284,,517 tons, entered the various ports of tho colony. The exports
for 1884 amounted to tla,231,500, and the hnports were valued at
Í22,K2Ü,925. At tho close of 1883 there were 1,320 miles of railway
open throughout the colony ¡ at the commencomont of í88,t this
number had increased to 1,088 miles, 18,081 miles of telegraph hue
were in use throughout the land at tho close of 1884, and 3114 offices
were open for the receipt of messages. The table on tho foUowiug page
will show tbe extent of tho principal products, and the areas under
acres. Kxcept around towns, oi' intended toras, lease tenure only has
been ajjplied to the Western Dirision, which includes the vast plains
of the interior. Tho original runs have boon dinded, tbe holdei-s
retainbg one half for a fixed tei-m free from inti'usion, and subject
to an increased rental, the residue in each case being open to
lease in blocks not exceeding 10,2^10 acres, with a minimum fixed at
.5,700 acres. mitiva 1, for the year ended 31st December, 1884.
N E W SOUTH WALES,
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