304 THE PASTORAL AGE IN AUSTRALASIA 



New South Wales was at length abreast of her daughter, 

 robust Queensland. 



The Button Act of 1884 is credited with making a 

 new departure in pastoral development. These colonies, 

 till this time, had known the runholder on a large scale 

 with almost anything over 30,000 acres on lease from 

 the Crown ; and it A^as getting to know the agricultural 

 selector on his 200- to 500-acre farm. Now they were 

 to make the acquamtance of the grazier proper. A new 

 class of yeomen was created. Under the Act pastora- 

 lists might select grazing farms ranging from 2,560 acres 

 to 30,000 acres. They could lease these from the State 

 for a period of thu'ty years — the longest term, anyAvhere 

 in these colonies, yet granted to the pastoralist — and the 

 annual rent was to be not less than Id. per acre. 

 Residence was required, and the holding had to be fenced. 

 They answered to the improvement leases — leases held 

 at a low rate on condition of improvements being 

 made — that have for many years been in operation in 

 New South Wales, and in connection with which the 

 biggest official scandals of recent years arose. In the 

 one case, as in the other, it is admitted, such leases 

 have been answerable for the creation of a class of 

 graziers who have produced a large increase in the 

 quantity of wool groAvn and, as most of them were 

 capable and experienced breeders, finer wool and greater 

 weight of fleece. 



In 1884-6, by the creation of grazing-farms, a new 

 race of pastoraHsts was engendered. These differed 

 from the old race of squatters, who could not tender 

 for the portions thus cut out of their runs.* The grazier 

 proper was evolved. 



In another direction New South Wales has followed 

 in the steps of the northern State. So recently as 1895 

 Sir Joseph Carruthers passed an Act creating in New 

 South Wales the class of small grazier, and the Act is 

 stated to have been successful in placing on the land 

 large numbers of worthy settlers. 



* Satge, Journal of a Queenaland Squatter, p. 348. 



