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The Laws Relating to Crown Lands. 



By H. A. G. Curry, Department of Lands. 



It may be at least claimed for tlio laws relating to Crown lands of 

 New South Wales that they are characterised by liberality and com- 

 prehensiveness^ and it is a fact deserving of more than passing 

 mention that each succeeding enactment exhibits broader and more 

 generous provisions than any of its predecessors. In Pai-liament no 

 subject excites keener or more general interest than land legislation, 

 and its importance is so widely recognised as to ensure the fullest 

 possible consideration and criticism. The growth of the present body 

 of laws has been rapid, and is an evidence both of the desire and the 

 determination of successive Governments to keep pace with the ever- 

 varying requirements, which are a necessaiy consequence of the pro- 

 gressive conditions, of the Colony, In the year 1881 the Acts then 

 in force* were repealed, and the " Crown Lands Act of 188i" t by which 

 they were superseded has since been amended and largely supplemented 

 by the " Crown Lands Act of 1S89" J and the " Crown Lands Act of 

 1895,"§ leaving out of account a large number of intermediate Acts of 

 more or less importance. Prior to the commencement of the Act of 

 1884 the provisions of the law were somewhat indiscriminately opera- 

 tive over the unsold land of the whole Colony. One of the features of 

 that Act was the modification of this condition of things by the separa- 

 tion of the Colony into three divisions, termed respectively the Eastern, 

 the Central, and the Western, in connection with each of which the 

 provisions of the law were made to diif er ; and by an alteration of the 

 tenure under which pastoral leases had previously been held. Happily 

 the Crown Lands Act of 1895 — an Act wide in its scope and partaking 

 more of the character of an original than of an amending measure — 

 has followed with a long-desired provision which admits of the classi- 

 fication and survey of land before selection. Such a provision is well 

 calculated to prevent the complications and delay which experience has 

 shown to be almost inseparable from unsurveyed land being ap])lied for 

 without due regard to conflicting interests or to the question whether 



* The principal of these Avere the Crown Lauds Alienation Act of 1S(51, the Crown 

 Lands Occupation Act of 18(31, the Lands Acts Amendment Act, IS?.'), and the Lands 

 Acts Further Amendment Act, 1S80. The Acts of ISGl were known as the late Sir 

 John Robertson's Acts. The Act of 1875 was introduced by the late J. S. Farncll, and 

 the Act of 1880 by Mr., now the Hon. James Hoskins, jNI.L.C. 



t Introduced by the late James Squire Farnell. Took effect from 1st January, ISSo. 



J Introduced by the Hon. James Nixon Brunker (now Colonial Secretary), when 

 Minister for Lands in Sir Henry Parkes' Government. 



§ Introduced by tlie Hon. Josej)!! Hector Carrutliers, Minister for Lands in the present 

 Government. The Hon. G. H. Reid, Premier, 189(). 



Note.— It should not pass unmentioned that Mr. Henry Copeland, M.l'., and the late 

 Mr. Garrett were both associated with important proposals of land legislation. 



