| Sheep. | Acres. | Rental. |
| 1,000 | 4,000 | £10 |
| 1,500 | 6,000 | £12 |
| 2,000 | 8,000 | £14 |
| 3,000 | 12,000 | £16 |
| 4,000 | 16,000 | £18 |
| 5,000 | 20,000 | £20 |
And so on in the same proportion. No license of less than 4,000 acres was given. A horse or a bullock was reckoned to be equal to four sheep. Some large areas were taken up.
A circular despatch was sent by Earl Grey to the various Australian colonies in 1848, suggesting a new set of land regulations, principally in regard to the leasing system. Each colony treated the matter substantially in a different spirit. The Western Australian Legislative Council appointed a Committee to consider the suggestions, and to draw up regulations. All its members were large landholders, a fact which was adversely commented on with dogged iteration. The committee proposed to divide leased lands into two classes. Those in Class A were for seven years tenure, to date from 1st January to 31st December, open for pastoral or tillage purposes. Class B embraced those lands not included in Class A. In Class A the committee would exclude from its privileges—(1) all lands within two miles of the sea-coast line; (2) all lands within three miles of all town sites; (3) all lands within two miles of either bank of certain named rivers and of permanent streams of the colony; (4) all lands within ten miles of the top of Wizard Peak, of the junction of the Fitzgerald and Elives Rivers, of the summit of East Mount Barren, and such other lands as the Governor might afterwards proclaim; and (5) all lands within three miles of all fee-simple grants. Tillage leases were issued only under Class A. The objectionable features are obvious.
Mr. M. W. Clifton wrote that under these regulations all good land, water, and proximity to towns and settled districts would be shut out from desiring settlers. The Independent Journal of 22nd June, 1849, also pointed out that "a virtual prohibition of tillage, unless by purchase, is made of the whole of the land in the colony which is at all likely to pay for cultivation." Moreover, a "very suspicious preference is given to large landholders, who, in fact, were the principal framers of the regulations (probably owning among then one-half of the land of the colony). As if, forsooth, they had not already culled out the best portions of the country, and left little else for newcomers but sand and scrub, on even which they cannot bear the pollution of others settling within three miles of their principalities. Surely the colony has suffered sufficient from the enormous possessions of these lords of the soil without the evil being perpetuated by fresh regulations of their own framing."
Such a state of affairs could not be allowed to go. With no pretension to representation in the making of their laws, public meetings and memorials were the only means settlers had of asserting themselves. Messrs. W. L. Brockman, R. M. Habgood, L. Lukin, J. T. Cooke, A. O'G. Lefroy, and L. Samson called for a meeting, which was held in Perth on 18th July. It was largely attended, and unanimously proclaimed "that the regulations framed by the committee for the occupation of the waste Crown lands are unsound in policy, unjust in principle, inapplicable to the wants of the colony, in opposition to the wishes of the colonists, and, if adopted, will tend to frustrate the introduction of immigrants, the increase of revenue, the production of wool, and cause a gradual depopulation of the settlement."
Those people present were certain of their views. It seemed to them that such an effort to impose a piece of bad legislation called for a distinct expression of opinion as to the law-makers. Only one course was open to them—to propose a vote of want of confidence by means of a memorial to the Home Government. It was carried, before the meeting terminated—(1) "That as the settlers have no confidence in certain members of the Executive Council, that a memorial to the Home Government be drawn up, embodying substantial reasons for the same, and praying their removal; and that His Excellency the Governor be requested to forward the same." (2) "That His Excellency the Governor, after he has received Her Majesty's approval of his list of gentlemen eligible to sit as members of the Legislative Council, be respectfully requested to cede so much of his prerogative in favour of the colonists as to allow them to select members from that list". A third resolution dealt with the tariff, and asked that the ad valorem duty should not be estimated according to the value at the place of shipment, but according to the cost of production in the colony. A committee was appointed to draw up a memorial, but with the withdrawal by the Council of the most objectionable provisions of the proposals, the memorial was allowed to lapse. A condemnatory meeting was also held at York.
Ever since the imposition by Governor Irwin and his Executive of the toll on sandalwood, and a proposal which he made to raise official salaries, he and others were severely animadverted on by the people. Hence the desire for a change in the personnel of the Council arose not alone from these proposed land regulations. From one cause or another several changes took place in the Executive and Legislative Councils in the years 1848 to 1853. Dr. Madden, who was held unblameable for the sandalwood toll and other acts which caused colonial annoyance, severed his connection with the Government late in 1848, and left the colony, amid general regret, in 1849. Ill-health and the accidental death of his son were apparently the reasons. Mr. Bland, for many years Government Resident at York, and subsequently Secretary to the Governor, succeeded Dr. Madden as Colonial Secretary. Mr. T. N. Yule succeeded Mr. Bland in June, 1850, who in his turn gave way to Mr. C.A.J. Piesse in November, 1850. Then, in September, 1851, Major H.A. Sanford became Colonial Secretary, a position he occupied until 1855. The private members of the Legislative Council in 1850 were Thos. Brown, M.W. Clifton, and L. Samson. Mr. G.F. Moore went to England on leave of absence, and in 1852 Mr. B.W. Vigors became Acting Advocate-General. Captain E.Y.W. Henderson, Comptroller-General, became a member of the Executive and Legislative Councils in June, 1852, and Mr. W.P. Clifton a private member of the Legislative Council. In 1853 Mr. Bernie was appointed Advocate-General, and arrived in the colony in January, 1854. Colonel Irwin resigned, and was succeeded by Captain G.M. Reeves. With all these changes members for whom colonists had special antipathy had voluntarily left the Council, and of the pioneers only the popular Surveyor-General, Mr. Roe, and the Judge, Mr. Mackie, remained. These two gentlemen retained the regard of the people unaltered. Mr. G. F. Moore finally severed his excellent connection with the political institutions of the colony. For long years he had earnestly
