VPRS 13137 Register of Applications, Bairnsdale, Section 49 Land Act 1869 (Bairnsdale District Survey Office)

VPRS 13137/P1 Register of Applications, Bairnsdale, Section 49 Land Act 1869 (Bairnsdale District Survey Office) was created by the District Survey Office at Bairnsdale.VPRS 13137/P1 was previously registered as unit 25 of VPRS 458/P Application Registers.The introduction of the Land Act 1869 saw all Crown land, not previously occupied in Victoria opened up for selection. Provisions were made in section 42 of the Land Act 1865 for selection before survey. Prior to this time surveys were conducted on all Crown land before it was made available. The provision of free selection before survey was carried to the 1869 Act. The aim of the legislation was to encourage settlement on lands that would be most advantageous to the colony.Under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 selectors could apply for a licence to occupy and cultivate auriferous (gold field) land. The licence was for one year and the size of the land occupied was not to exceed 20 acres. The licence was renewable each year with the payment of a licence fee. A selector could not hold more than one licence under section 49 of the Land Act 1869.The additional advantages provided to selectors as a result of the Land Act 1869 resulted in an exceptional number of applications to select Crown land. By 1873 the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538) was experiencing many problems in managing applications. Public complaints were at an all time high. The complaints ranged from extraordinarily long delays in application processing, applications being approved for more than one person on the same allotment and long delays in replying to correspondence.When an application to select Crown land was received by the Department it would be registered in a register of applications. Prior to 1874 and the establishment of the Occupation Branch all applications made under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 were recorded in the same series of registers irrespective of location; see VPRS 13128/P1. The contents of registers of applications were arranged alphabetically and application numbers were allocated consecutively in blocks for each letter of the alphabet.Separate registers of applications were usually created for each section of the Land Act under which individuals could apply to select land. For example, all applications received under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 were recorded in the same register. Sections of an Act that were less common were often recorded in the one register.In an attempt to try and rationalise the way the Department managed Crown land, the Occupation Branch was established in 1874 under the influence of H Byron Moore, Assistant Surveyor General. The Occupation Branch was to deal with all matters relating to the occupation of Crown land.The State was divided into fifteen Land Districts, these being Ararat, Ballarat, Beechworth, Benalla, Castlemaine and Dunolly, Echuca, Geelong Warrnambool and Camperdown, Hamilton, Horsham, Melbourne, Sale and Bairnsdale, Sandhurst (Bendigo), Seymour and St Arnaud. Each District was represented at the Occupation Branch in Melbourne by a 'District Land Office'.Each District Land Office consisted of a double table or desk at which both a clerk and draughtsman sat. Everything in the way of files, maps and plans were at convenient reach. The same officers dealt with the sale of Crown land from its 'inception to its disposition'. The District Offices' staff consisted essentially of a clerical officer and a draughtsman who dealt solely with that Land District. It was their business to know the District and to deal with all land business related to it. By 1877 each District Land Office, consisted of a District Officer, a rental clerk, a draughtsman and several general clerks.After the establishment of the Occupation Branch in 1874 and the division of the State into Land Districts, applications were registered by District. Each 'District Land Office' created and maintained their own series of registers of applications. Any new applications received by the Department after 1874 were registered in separate District registers with applications numbers that were allocated from the number one onwards. The same application number could be allocated for selections in different Districts. For example the application number 1021/49 could exist in both the Ballarat and Bendigo Land Districts, it is the District name plus the accompanying file number that is the unique identifier.Applicants completed an 'Application for Licence under Part II of Land Act 1869' form at District Survey Offices. Most Land Districts had a District Survey Office. The District Surveyor would enter the applicants' details in a register of applications kept at the District Survey Office. The register of applications allocated a number to each applicant. The application number was written on the application to select and subsequently became their land selection file number if their application was approved.The District Surveyor would enter into the register of applications the application number, the date the application was received, the applicants' name, occupation and parish, the allotment number and size (acres, roods and perches) applied for. The application was then forwarded to the appropriate District Land Office at the Occupation Branch in Melbourne. It was then entered in a duplicate register of applications there against the same application number. The District Surveyor also forwarded a tracing of the allotment applied for.The position of the allotment applied for was immediately charted on a working plan in pencil. The tracing was then sent to the Department of Mines and Water Supply (VA 2720) for a report on any mining objections. If there were no mining objections the application would be heard before a Local Land Board. Local Land Boards were made up of representatives from the local community and the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538). The Boards would hear from all applicants for an allotment and would decide who was to be granted the licence or lease. The schedule documenting the decisions of the Local Land Board was forwarded to the appropriate District Land Office at the Occupation Branch and the decision was entered into the register of applicationsThe Board of Land and Works (VA 744), the statutory authority for the management of Crown land would give final approval for land selection, acting on the recommendation of the Local Land Board. The decision of the Board of Lands and Works (VA 744) was then recorded in the register of applications. The registers also record the date of the licence issue and any subsequent action in relation to that file. The selectors granted each allotment would then be recorded on the working plan by the District Land Office draughtsman at the Occupation Branch. The tracing of the allotment was then sent to the Crown Land Bailiff responsible for that Land District.After the creation of the Occupation Branch, applications made under the Land Act 1869 that had been registered prior to 1874 were copied to District Indexes that were separate from registers created for new applications received. These District Indexes that recorded pre 1874 applications are arranged alphabetically but the application numbers are not consecutive. An Index for the Bairnsdalel District in not in the custody of PROV as at November 2002.The new registers of applications were arranged by Land District and by section of Land Act applications were received under. For example, all applications received under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 for the Ballarat Land District were recorded in the same series of registers. Sections of an Act that were less common were often recorded in the one District register.Registers of applications control selection and occupation files. If an application to select Crown land was successful, the application number would become the file number. For example if an application to select under section 49 of the Land Act 1869 was registered as application number 324 then the selection or occupation file number would be 324/49.The application number remained the selection file number for a particular piece of land if all terms and conditions were met and the selection resulted in a Crown Grant. However, often the original selector did not end up owning the land. Many selectors forfeited or abandoned their licence. If this were the case then the land was re-opened up for selection. Any new applicants were registered in a register of applications under a new application number. The original applicants file would be attached to the new selectors file. The new file number was annotated in the register against the original selectors' entry.Even if the same selector applied for a licence on land he had previously forfeited a new application number would be allocated and the file would have a new selection file number.

VPRS 13137/P1《申请登记册》（拜恩斯代尔地区，《1869年土地法案》第49条）由拜恩斯代尔地区测量局（District Survey Office）创建。VPRS 13137/P1此前曾作为VPRS 458/P《申请登记册》的第25单元进行登记。
《1869年土地法案》（Land Act 1869）的出台，将维多利亚州所有未被占用的王室土地开放供民众选择。《1865年土地法案》（Land Act 1865）第42条已规定可在测量前进行土地选择；在此之前，所有王室土地在开放前均需完成测量。1869年法案延续了“测量前自由选择”的条款，其立法目的是鼓励民众在对殖民地最有利的土地上定居。
根据《1869年土地法案》第49条，申请者可申请许可证以占用和耕种含金土地（auriferous land，即金矿土地）。许可证有效期为一年，占用土地面积不得超过20英亩，每年缴纳费用后可续期。同一申请者不得持有超过一份基于《1869年土地法案》第49条的许可证。
《1869年土地法案》为申请者提供的额外优惠，导致王室土地申请数量激增。到1873年，王室土地与测量部（Department of Crown Lands and Survey，VA538）在处理申请时遇到诸多问题，公众投诉达到历史峰值，包括申请处理延误时间过长、同一地块被批准给多人、回复信件延迟等。
部门收到王室土地申请后，会将其登记在申请登记册中。1874年占用处（Occupation Branch）成立前，所有基于《1869年土地法案》第49条的申请无论地点均记录在同一套登记册中（详见VPRS13128/P1）。申请登记册内容按字母顺序排列，申请编号按字母分块连续分配。
通常会为《土地法案》中允许个人申请土地的各条款分别创建申请登记册。例如，所有基于《1869年土地法案》第49条的申请均记录在同一登记册中；法案中较不常用的条款则常共用一份登记册。
为优化部门对王室土地的管理方式，在助理测量总监H·拜伦·摩尔（H Byron Moore）的推动下，占用处于1874年成立，负责处理所有与王室土地占用相关的事务。
维多利亚州被划分为15个土地区，包括阿拉拉特（Ararat）、巴拉瑞特（Ballarat）、比奇沃思（Beechworth）、贝纳拉（Benalla）、卡斯尔梅恩与杜诺利（Castlemaine and Dunolly）、埃丘卡（Echuca）、吉朗-沃纳姆布尔与坎珀当（Geelong Warrnambool and Camperdown）、汉密尔顿（Hamilton）、霍舍姆（Horsham）、墨尔本（Melbourne）、塞尔与拜恩斯代尔（Sale and Bairnsdale）、桑德赫斯特（本迪戈）（Sandhurst (Bendigo)）、西摩（Seymour）及圣阿诺德（St Arnaud）。每个土地区在墨尔本占用处均设有“地区土地办公室”（District Land Office）作为代表机构。
每个地区土地办公室设有一张双人桌，文员与绘图员并排就座，文件、地图及规划图等资料触手可及。同一批官员负责王室土地销售的“从立项到处置”全流程。地区办公室的核心人员为一名文员和一名绘图员，仅负责该土地区事务；他们需熟悉本区情况，处理所有相关土地业务。到1877年，每个地区土地办公室已配备一名地区官员、一名租金文员、一名绘图员及若干普通文员。
1874年占用处成立并划分土地区后，申请按地区登记。每个“地区土地办公室”创建并维护各自的申请登记册系列。1874年后部门收到的新申请均登记在各地区独立登记册中，申请编号从1开始依次分配。不同地区的申请可能使用相同编号，例如编号1021/49可能同时存在于巴拉瑞特和本迪戈土地区，唯一标识符为地区名称加对应的文件编号。
申请者需在地区测量局填写《〈1869年土地法案〉第二部分下的许可证申请表》（Application for Licence under Part II of Land Act 1869）。大多数土地区均设有地区测量局。地区测量师会将申请者详情录入地区测量局保存的申请登记册，并为每位申请者分配编号。该申请编号会写在申请表上，若申请获批，则成为其土地选择文件编号。
地区测量师会在申请登记册中录入申请编号、收到日期、申请者姓名、职业与教区、申请地块编号及面积（英亩、路得、平方杆）。申请随后被转至墨尔本占用处对应的地区土地办公室，录入同一申请编号下的副本登记册。地区测量师还会提交申请地块的追踪记录。
申请地块的位置会立即用铅笔标注在工作图上。追踪记录随后被送至矿业与供水部（Department of Mines and Water Supply，VA2720），以获取关于采矿异议的报告。若无采矿异议，申请将由地方土地委员会（Local Land Board）审理。地方土地委员会由当地社区代表及王室土地与测量部（VA538）代表组成，负责听取某地块所有申请者的陈述并决定许可证或租赁权的授予对象。记录地方土地委员会决定的明细表会被转至占用处对应的地区土地办公室，并录入申请登记册。
作为王室土地管理的法定机构，土地与工程委员会（Board of Land and Works，VA744）会根据地方土地委员会的建议，对土地选择给予最终批准。其决定随后被录入申请登记册，登记册还会记录许可证颁发日期及该文件相关的后续行动。获授地块的申请者信息会由占用处地区土地办公室的绘图员标注在工作图上，地块追踪记录则被送至负责该土地区的王室土地法警（Crown Land Bailiff）。
1874年占用处成立并划分土地区后，申请按地区登记。每个“地区土地办公室”创建并维护各自的申请登记册系列。1874年后部门收到的新申请均登记在各地区独立登记册中，申请编号从1开始依次分配。不同地区的申请可能使用相同编号，例如编号1021/49可能同时存在于巴拉瑞特和本迪戈土地区，唯一标识符为地区名称加对应的文件编号。
申请者需在地区测量局填写《〈1869年土地法案〉第二部分下的许可证申请表》。大多数土地区均设有地区测量局。地区测量师会将申请者详情录入地区测量局保存的申请登记册，并为每位申请者分配编号。该申请编号会写在申请表上，若申请获批，则成为其土地选择文件编号。
地区测量师会在申请登记册中录入申请编号、收到日期、申请者姓名、职业与教区、申请地块编号及面积（英亩、路得、平方杆）。申请随后被转至墨尔本占用处对应的地区土地办公室，录入同一申请编号下的副本登记册。地区测量师还会提交申请地块的追踪记录。
申请地块的位置会立即用铅笔标注在工作图上。追踪记录随后被送至矿业与供水部（VA2720），以获取关于采矿异议的报告。若无采矿异议，申请将由地方土地委员会审理。地方土地委员会由当地社区代表及王室土地与测量部（VA538）代表组成，负责听取某地块所有申请者的陈述并决定许可证或租赁权的授予对象。记录地方土地委员会决定的明细表会被转至占用处对应的地区土地办公室，并录入申请登记册。
作为王室土地管理的法定机构，土地与工程委员会（VA744）会根据地方土地委员会的建议，对土地选择给予最终批准。其决定随后被录入申请登记册，登记册还会记录许可证颁发日期及该文件相关的后续行动。获授地块的申请者信息会由占用处地区土地办公室的绘图员标注在工作图上，地块追踪记录则被送至负责该土地区的王室土地法警。
1874年占用处成立并划分土地区后，申请按地区登记。每个“地区土地办公室”创建并维护各自的申请登记册系列。1874年后部门收到的新申请均登记在各地区独立登记册中，申请编号从1开始依次分配。不同地区的申请可能使用相同编号，例如编号1021/49可能同时存在于巴拉瑞特和本迪戈土地区，唯一标识符为地区名称加对应的文件编号。
新的申请登记册按土地区及申请所依据的《土地法案》条款分类排列。例如，巴拉瑞特土地区所有基于《1869年土地法案》第49条的申请均记录在同一套登记册中；法案中较不常用的条款则常记录在同一地区登记册内。
申请登记册对选择及占用文件起管控作用。若王室土地申请成功，申请编号将成为文件编号。例如，基于《1869年土地法案》第49条的申请若登记编号为324，则其选择或占用文件编号为324/49。
若某块土地的所有条款与条件均被满足且最终获得王室授予（Crown Grant），则申请编号将保留为该土地的选择文件编号。然而，原申请者往往未能最终拥有该土地：许多申请者放弃或遗弃许可证，此时土地会重新开放供选择。新申请者将获得新的申请编号并登记在申请登记册中，原申请者的文件会附在新申请者文件后，新文件编号会标注在原申请者的登记条目旁。
即使同一申请者申请其此前放弃的土地许可证，也会获得新的申请编号，文件亦会有新的选择文件编号。