VPRS 13290 Register of Applications for Leases and Licenses, Bendigo, Sections 19 and 49 Land Act 1869

Under section 19 of the Land Act 1869 selectors could apply for a three-year licence to occupy Crown land. The rent was set at two shillings per acre and a maximum of 320 acres per selector was allowed. On application, a deposit of half a year's rent was paid. If the application were refused, the deposit was refunded. Section 20 of the Act placed conditions on the three-year licence with selectors required to improve their allotment by the erection of fencing and a dwelling, cultivation of their land and the destruction of vermin and noxious weeds. After the licence term had expired, the selector was eligible to apply for a seven-year lease or for a Crown Grant to purchase their allotment. Grants or leases were only approved if improvement conditions had been met. If a selector opted for a seven-year lease, the yearly rent was used to pay off the purchase price of the land. Rent previously paid under Section 19 was credited against the purchase price.Section 49 of the Land Act 1869 allowed the granting of a license for the occupation of auriferous (gold-bearing) land for a period of one year at a time. The amount of land was to be no more than 20 acres with an individual being permitted to hold one licence only. The fees were to be set by regulation.Entries in this Register of Applications for Leases and Licenses are made in red ink for those under Section 49 of the Land Act 1869 and black ink for those under Section 19 of the Act. The application number is given and is that allocated in VPRS 120/P (for Section 19) and VPRS 13128/P1 (for Section 49). The second column contains the date of the lease or license and may have entered in it the final decision on the application including those refused. Other details are the page in the Government Gazette recording the issue of the lease, the surname and address of the applicant, the location (given as parish, allotment and section) and the extent of the land. Other details are those relating to the Local Land Board Schedule (see VPRS 13075/P1), the decision of the Board of Land and Works, any special conditions, the date of any license and its issue and space for any references and remarks.VPRS 13290/P1, unit 1 was previously serialised as unit 4 of VPRS 1311/P Register of Lessees, Land Act 1869 Section 49.