VPRS 13347 Local Lands Board Evidence, Wimmera and Mallee

The functions of the Commissions and the later Local Lands Boards were to investigate and report upon every application, to protect the public and local interests and promote the advantageous occupation of land. Commissions included in their membership the Surveyor-General, the Assistant Commissioner of Lands and Survey, the Secretary for Mines, chairmen and members of Mining Boards and Shire Councils and were assisted by District Surveyors, other officers of the Department and Mining Surveyors who had made the surveys of the sites applied for. These Commissions or enquiries were made in district centres and other principal centres of population on and in the vicinity of the goldfields. The decision with respect to the application arrived at by the Commission or the Local Lands Board was then entered in the Applications Register.The major change with the Local Lands Boards was to have the Minister appoint local members able to sit regularly in the local area. The criteria for membership were considerable knowledge of the local area and/or knowledge of the rules of the Department of Crown lands and Survey and the 'wants of the public'. Initially, public hearings were held at centres in each local Land District, particularly when there was a high volume of applications. As the volume of applications declined, it appears that Local Land Board hearings were directed from fewer centres such as Ballarat and Bendigo with hearings being less frequent or only when required. It was customary for hearings to be advertised in local newspapers to allow for the presentation of evidence including objections, in relation to applications.Functions of the Boards were extended from making recommendations on applications for licenses to include recommending regarding applications for the forfeiture of licenses under Section 20 of the Land Act 1869 where the department considered that further investigation was necessary and recommending regarding applications for the sale of unimproved country lands by auction and on the extension of commonage. The core function of making recommendations on applications for a license of occupation or a lease of Crown lands has remained with other functions varying over time. An appeal mechanism was early established for those wishing to dispute the recommendations of the Local Lands Board. Currently, (January 2003) these Boards are governed by Section 34 of the Land Act 1958.The volume in this series records evidence taken at Local Lands Board hearings at places to the north-west of Bendigo such as Wycheproof and appears to deal primarily with lands under the provisions of the Land Act dealing with Mallee lands.VPRS 13347/P1 was previously registered as Unit 14 of VPRS 443/P Local Land Board Schedules.