VPRS 14406 Register of Holders of Mallee Blocks and Mallee Allotments, Counties of Lowan and Borung (Horsham District Survey Office)

This volume has set out the holders of both Mallee blocks and Mallee allotments for the counties of Lowan and Borung. The areas were those in the Horsham Land District which were deemed to be Mallee lands for the purpose of occupation. Details given for Mallee blocks are the number and subdivision of the block, the name of the holder, the amount of rent due per half year and remarks relating to the surrender, cancellation or transfer of a block.Details given for the Mallee allotments are the number and alphabetical subdivision of the block, the date of the original application and its receipt, the name of the initial applicant, details of the area and location of the block and the decision of hearings of the Local Land Board, the amount of rent and details of entries in the Government Gazette and the date of issue of the lease. A half page is allocated for each block with details of all transfers and/or cancellations of holdings entered below the initial entry. In some examples the Melbourne file number is given.Sections 4 and 5 of the Mallee Pastoral Leases Act 1883 provided for the 10 million acres of the Mallee Country to be divided into blocks further subdivided into A and B parts. A lease for pastoral purposes could be given for up to 20 years on one part of the block with the right to occupy being granted for the other part of the block.Sections 15 to 17 of the Mallee Pastoral Leases Act 1883 set out the terms and conditions for leases of Mallee allotments in the lands designated as being Mallee Border (in the Horsham, St Arnaud and Kerang Land Districts). Mallee allotments were to be for not more than twenty years, with half a year's rent being payable in advance. At the end of the lease, the land and all improvements were to revert to the Crown. Existing occupiers of the land were entitled to the lease of one Mallee allotment if they applied within one month. Otherwise, the land was to become part of that generally available. By the 1890 Land Act, the area of all allotments held by one person was not to exceed 20,000 acres.