VPRS 13274 Register of Leases, Sections 19 and 49 Land Act 1869

Full description

Under Section 19 of the Land Act 1869 selectors could apply for a three-year licence to occupy Crown land. The rent was set at two shillings per acre and a maximum of 320 acres per selector was allowed. On application, a deposit of half a year's rent was paid. If the application was refused, the deposit was refunded. Section 20 of the Act placed conditions on the three-year licence with selectors required to improve their allotment by the erection of fencing and a dwelling, cultivation of their land and the destruction of vermin and noxious weeds. After the licence term had expired, the selector was eligible to apply for a seven-year lease or a Crown Grant to purchase their allotment. Grants or leases were only approved if improvement conditions had been met. If a selector opted for a seven-year lease, the yearly rent was used to pay off the purchase price of the land.

Section 49 of the Land Act 1869 allowed the granting of a licence for the occupation of auriferous (gold-bearing) land for a period of one year at a time. The amount of land was to be no more than 20 acres with an individual being permitted to hold one licence only. The fees were to be set by regulation.

This Register lists the leases applied for under Section 20 (in black ink) and Section 49 (in red ink) of the Act giving the application number and the name of the licensee. The application number was that allocated in VPRS 12026/P1 Register of Applications, Sections 19 and 20, Land Act 1869 and VPRS 13128/P1 Register of Applications, Section 49 Land Act 1869. Details are given of the location and area of the land with the date of approval. Other details given are the numbers of both the original plan and the locality plan. In the column for remarks are notations regarding any forfeiture, revocation or transfer of the lease or whether it had been included with another lease. The series also includes some details of transfers of leases with application numbers as allocated after the formation of the Occupation Branch circa 1873.

VPRS 13274/P1 was previously registered as Unit 2 of VPRS 1323/P Register of Lessees, Land Act 1869 Section 19.