VPRS 13128 Registers of Applications, Section 49 Land Act 1869.

Full description

The introduction of the Land Act 1869 saw all Crown land, not previously occupied in Victoria opened up for selection. Provisions were made in section 42 of the Land Act 1865 for selection before survey. Prior to this time surveys were conducted on all Crown land before it was made available. The provision of free selection before survey was carried to the 1869 Act. The aim of the legislation was to encourage settlement on lands that would be most advantageous to the colony.

Under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 selectors could apply for a licence to occupy and cultivate auriferous (gold field) land. The licence was for one year and the size of the land occupied was not to exceed 20 acres. The licence was renewable each year with the payment of a licence fee. A selector could not hold more than one licence under section 49 of the Land Act 1869.

The additional advantages provided to selectors as a result of the Land Act 1869 resulted in an exceptional number of applications to select Crown land. By 1873 the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538) was experiencing many problems in managing applications. Public complaints were at an all time high. The complaints ranged from extraordinarily long delays in application processing, applications being approved for more than one person on the same allotment and long delays in replying to correspondence.

When an application to select Crown land was received by the Department it would be registered in a register of applications. Prior to 1874 and the establishment of the Occupation Branch all applications made under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 were recorded in the same series of registers irrespective of location.

Separate registers of applications were usually created for each section of the Land Act under which individuals could apply to select land. For example, all applications received under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 were recorded in the same register. Sections of an Act that were less common were often recorded in the one register.

The registers in this series are those created to record applications under Section 49 Land Act 1869 prior to the establishment of the Occupation Branch and District Survey Offices. At the start of Unit 1 applications under Section 19 Land Act 1869 were also registered, but they are annotated in the Remarks column that they had been transferred to the 19th Section. Details given in this unit are the number of the application, the date of the application and the date of its registration, the name of the applicant, the allotment and section and area being applied for and its locality, the decision made regarding the application, any previous or subsequent reference numbers and the persons to whom the matter was referred for decision or action.

Additional details given in Unit 2 are the details of both the Local Land Board Schedule and the decision of the Board of Land and Works, any special conditions imposed, the date of the license and details of correspondence numbers relating to the application.