474 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



Land Settlement in Western Australia. The International Review 

 of Agricultural Economics. Seventh year, No. 13. December, 1916. 



Western Australia is the largest State of the Australian Common- 

 wealth, forming 32.81 per cent of its land surface. Since its popula- 

 tion is only 323,018, it is clear that its problems relative to land settle- 

 ment are important. The area of land already alienated from the 

 crown in 1914 was 7,795,319 acres. This figure, however, includes 

 roads and public reserves. The government also offers large areas of 

 land for selection under various schemes of conditional purchase. The 

 conditions generally include residence on the holding and the execution 

 of certain improvements, and provide for terms of deferred payments 

 extending over a series of years. When the conditions have been ful- 

 filled a crown grant for the lands may be issued to the selector. 



Dr. J. W. Paterson, professor of agriculture in the University of 

 .Western Australia, describes the chief provisions for land settlement. 

 We will briefly resume his statements. 



Free Homestead Farms. — Free homestead farms are granted, and 

 the survey fee when separate survey is required. If included in a 

 larger block of 500 acres or over, already surveyed, no further charge 

 is made for survey. Any person who is the head of a family, or a male 

 over 16 years who does not already hold more than 100 acres, may 

 obtain a homestead farm. He must, however, reside on the farm for 

 six months of each of the first five years, and spend on improvements 

 an aggregate sum of $3.41 per acre in certain periodical installments 

 during the first seven years. Of the amount spent on improvements 

 $146 may go toward a house, and part toward the fencing of the prop- 

 erty, which must be completed in seven years. Half the cost of fencing 

 is credited as improvements. At the end of this period, and provided 

 the conditions have been complied with, a crown grant may be acquired 

 costing $7.30. 



Conditional Purchase zmth Residence. — Areas of from 100 to 1,000 

 acres of such lands, which may include a free homestead block, are 

 granted under conditional purchase at prices ranging from $2.43 per 

 acre upward, payable in half-yearly installments. If the purchase 

 money be $2.43 per acre, the price is payable at the rate of 32 cents 

 per annum during twenty years, and if $3.65 per acre at 12 cents per 

 annum during thirty years. If the price be over $3.65 per acre, the 

 sum is still repaid in thirty years, but at a higlier annual rate. The lat- 



