SURVEY OF THE EARLY SEVENTIES 153 



subject, remained in force until 1878, and under it the largest and 

 most rapid agricultural settlement was effected. It fixed the period 

 of probationary holding at three years, at a rental of 2s. per acre 

 per annum, and if at the end of that time the required improvements 

 had been made, and the conditions of residence complied with, the 

 selector could obtain a freehold title on paying 14s. per acre, or 

 could spread that payment over seven years without interest. It 

 abolished the condemned feature of drawing lots, and substituted 

 strict priority of application. It reduced the size of selections from 

 640 to 320 acres. In abolishing the hitherto prescribed " agricultural 

 areas," it threw the whole country open to selection before survey. 

 Finally, it provided that 200,000 a year out of the proceeds of this 

 wholesale alienation should be set aside in a trust account for the 

 redemption of railways loans and for further extensions. Some 

 portion of the accumulations from this source was undoubtedly 

 applied to construction, but the facility with which Colonial Trea- 

 surers can use trust funds in seasons of pressure precluded any 

 chance of reduction of the ever-increasing debt. The flagrant 

 violation by successive Governments of the 38th Section of the 

 Land Act of 1862, which was supposed to be in force until the 

 passing of the 1869 Act, might have warned the people of the small 

 value to be placed on provisions of this nature. The section in 

 question required that one-fourth of the net receipts from the sale 

 or leasing of Crown lands should be appropriated strictly to 

 assisted immigration. The instructions were practically ignored, 

 and it seemed that no one felt called upon to denounce so gross 

 a failure of duty. 



Under the Land Act of 1865 3,500,000 acres passed into private 

 hands. Under that of 1869 nearly 11,000,000 acres were alienated. 

 During the currency of the former Act the land under cultivation 

 increased from 470,000 acres to 700,000. Under the operations of 

 the latter, between 1869 and 1878, it grew to over 1,400,000 acres, 

 producing enough to feed the colony and leave a large surplus for 

 export. The district most favoured by the selectors of this period 

 was the lower valley of the Goulburn, extending from Seymour 

 down to the Murray, embracing a large part of the counties of 

 Dalhousie, Moira, Kodney and Bendigo. The country, as a rule, 



