Full description
The Pastures and Stock Protection Act, 1880-98 (44 Vic. No.11, 1880 and No.14, 1898) provided for a Pastures and Stock Protection Board to be established in each Sheep District of the state. The eight members of a Board were elected by local livestock owners; their duty was to ensure destruction of all noxious animals of the district within the operation of the Act and to pay rewards for such destruction. Funds were raised by a levy on stock, the "Noxious Animals Destruction Account", and each Board was required under the Act to keep account books. The administration of this Act was divided between the Stock Branch of the Mines Department and the Rabbit Branch of the Lands Department. (1)
The Bourke Pastures and Stock Protection Board was first appointed on 5 November 1880, and comprised the following Directors: B. Barton of Yooculta, W. Hatton of Yanda, D. Matheson of Piralla, C. Brandis of Warraweena, R. Muckridge of Buckanbel, A. Wilson, of Lila Springs, W. Scott of Belalie, and J.W. Fletcher of Jandra. (2)
On 24 December 1902, the Pastures Protection Act (Act No.111, 1902) was passed to consolidate and amend Acts relating "to the protection of pastures and livestock from the depredations of noxious animals...". It provided for the constitution of Pastures Protection districts and the establishment of Pastures Protection Boards consisting of seven locally elected members for each district. Expenses and rewards for scalps were to be met by rates upon sheep and large stock as well as by fines, penalties and subsidies, all of which formed the Pastures Protection Fund. The Act was administered by the Secretary for Lands and each Board was required to pay three per cent of its annual revenue to the Treasury and to keep minute and account books to be presented when required for inspection. (3)
The Bourke Pastures Protection Board was first elected on 4 May 1903, and comprised the following Directors: M.R. Dwyer of Byrock (Chairman), M.A. Todd of Beemery, J.P. Fitzgerald of Fort Bourke, M. Robertson of Jandra, W. Tully of Mooculta, M. Tully of Waraweena, and M. Robinson of Toorale. (4)
The Act was amended in 1904 and 1906 and later replaced by the consolidating Pastures Protection Act of 1912 (Act No.35, 1912), which Act was amended in 1918 and 1920.
Until 1990 the basis of legislation was the Pastures Protection Act of 1934 (Act No.35, 1934) administered by the Department of Agriculture. There were fifty-eight Pastures Protection Districts each with a Board of eight members who administered provisions of the Act concerning the maintenance of reserves and routes for travelling stock. Under this Act all travelling stock had to be accompanied by a permit. In the coastal and central districts a travelling charge was levied, the money from which went into the Reserves Improvement Fund. Veterinary inspectors, rangers and rabbit inspectors were employed as field staff. The Boards were required to present annual financial statements to the Department and to pay three per cent of annual revenue to the Treasury. They were also required to send in annual stock returns.
The Rural Lands Protection Act (Act No.197, 1989), which was assented to 21 December 1989, consolidated and updated the provisions of the Pastures Protection Act 1934, the Registration of Stock Brands Act (Act No.14, 1921) and the Noxious Insects Act (Act No.22, 1934).
The Act, which was proclaimed to commence on 1 July 1990, provided for the constitution of rural lands protection districts (formerly pastures protection districts). It also provided for the establishment of rural lands protection boards and for existing Pastures Protection Boards to become Rural Lands Protection Boards. (5)
In 2007, there were 47 Boards throughout the State. (6)
On 1 January 2014 all Rural Lands Protection Boards were abolished under the Local Land Services Act 2013. (7)
Endnotes
1. Description from the Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 2nd Edition 1992. q.v. Pastures Protection Boards.
2. NSW Government Gazette 5 November 1880, p.5711.
3. Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, op.cit.
4. NSW Government Gazette, 24 October 1903, p.7853.
5. NSW Government Gazette, 15 June 1990, p.4753; Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, op.cit.
6. State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards Website http://www.rlpbnsw.org.au/aboutus.html (cited 19/06/2007).
7. Local Land Services Act 2013 (Act No.51, 2013), Schedule 6, cl. 4 (1).
User Contributed Tags
Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover
