VPRS 86 Applications to Select Land Unsold at Auction or After Forfeiture of Deposit

Under the Waste Lands Act 1842 and the regulations made consequent upon it, all Crown Land for sale in the colony had to first be offered at public auction for the minimum upset price of one pound an acre. If the land were not sold at auction, it could then be offered for sale by private contract. Purchasers at auction were required to pay a deposit at the time of the auction as fixed by proclamation with the remainder of the purchase price paid within one calendar month. If this did not occur, the deposit was forfeited and the lands might be sold by private contract.Under regulations made under the Act 1 March 1843 and amended 24 Oct 1856, prospective purchasers could apply to select this unsold land - in effect, tendering to purchase it. This series comprises the application forms of prospective purchasers. The application form records the sum of money offered (or tendered), the date and the place of the auction, the date and place of the application, a description of the land (area, allotment and section and locality) and the name of the person to whom the deed of grant was to be given.For each month in 1860 in addition to the forms, there is a printed list of "Lands Purchased by Selection" giving the allotment and section, the date of the auction, the parish, the price per acre, the amount of the deposit forfeited, when the land was selected , the name of the ultimate purchaser and residence. (For these details prior to 1860, researchers should see VPRS 13019 Register of Land Offered for Selection After Forfeiture of Deposit or Land Unsold at Auction).Unit 4 of the P consignment has an index of parishes where land was located. Unit 8 of the P consignment contains applications to have land put up for sale and the name of the applicant. These forms give the name and address of the applicant, a brief description of the allotments in question and the date of the application.