CHAPTER IV. 



THE TOODYAY DISTRICT. 



Newcastle, the entrepot of the Toodyay district, is picturesquely 

 situated on the Avon about 50 miles east of Perth, at the terminus 

 of a branch of the Eastern railway, 64 miles by rail from the metro- 

 polis. Like York, Northam, and Beverley, nearly all the land 

 around Newcastle is in private hands, but some very eligible es- 

 tates are now under offer to the Government, which is empowered 

 to buy land in blocks of not less than 2,000 acres near a railway, for 

 the purpose of promoting land settlement. This power was given 

 by the passing of the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act. A sum of 

 ^"200,000 was set apart by Parliament to carry out the provisions of 

 the Act, which was one of the first measures introduced last session. 

 In moving the second reading of the bill in the Legislative Assembly 

 on the 22nd July, 1896, the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr. A. 

 R. Richardson, said : "Hon. members will recognise this bill as a 

 somewhat important measure and also as a new departure in our 

 legislation. I have very great pleasure in moving the second reading, 

 because I believe the result will be a very considerable increase to our 

 agricultural settlement, and it will give a great number of oppor- 

 tunities to those persons who are desirous of so doing, in the way of 

 obtaining access to land close to railway and large centres of popu- 

 lation, which they are now unable to obtain. Owing to the peculiar 

 circumstances of this colony, we have, somewhat to our sorrow, 

 considerable areas of valuable land, containing a fair proportion of 

 agricultural land, placed in choice and eligible situations as regards 

 transit and access to market, which it is now impossible for anybody 

 to get hold of ; not because owners are unwilling to sell, but they 

 decline to part with small portions. They will either sell the whole, 

 or none at all ; and not many people are in a position to treat with 

 owners for large areas of 7,000 or 8,000 acres. The Government 

 have had brought under their attention a suggestion that it would 

 perhaps be wise to undertake, under certain conditions, the 

 repurchase of these lands, to cut them up in lots and offer them for 

 sale, subject to special conditions as to improvements. The land so 

 purchased must be recommended first by a board uhich lias to 

 report on all hind it is considered, desirable to acquire. There is 

 also a very necessary precaution in providing that the land shall be 

 situated in accessible places for instance, near a railway so that 

 the Government are not likely to obtain much land that is placed 

 at an inconvenient distance. I think the bill will give to the colony 



