sold by public auction, but, as previously, the Governor-in-Council fixed the upset price. Any person might apply to the Commissioner to have town or suburban lands already surveyed put up for sale on depositing ten per cent. of the upset price. If he did not become the purchaser at the auction the deposit was returned; the purchaser paid the ten per cent. on the fall of the hammer, and had to complete his purchase within thirty days. Land in the South-west division, comprising, indeed, that part of Western Australia most fitted for agriculture, could be obtained under four modes of conditional purchase:—(1) By deferred payment, with residence, within agricultural areas; (2) by deferred payment, with residence, outside agricultural areas; (3) by deferred payment, without residence, either within or outside of agricultural areas; and (4) by direct payment, without residence, either within or outside of agricultural areas. The Governor-in-Council might set apart agricultural areas of not less than 2,000 acres. The minimum area to be held by any one person was fixed at 100 acres, and the maximum at 1,000 acres. The price was determined by the Governor-in-Council at not less than 10s. an acre, payable in twenty yearly instalments of 6d. an acre, or sooner if the occupier so chose. Upon the approval of any application a license was granted for five years; the licensee must reside on some portion of the land within six months, and fence in his area during the term of his license. When these conditions were fulfilled he was granted a lease for fifteen years. Upon the expiration of the lease, or at any time during its currency, provided that the fences were in good order, and that improvements had been made equal to the full purchase-money, and that the full purchase-money had been paid, a Crown grant was awarded. Under the third mode of purchase (without residence) the licensee had to pay £1 per acre (instead of 10s), in twenty yearly instalments of 1s. per acre, subject to the same conditions as under the first mode. Under the fourth mode, land to the extent of 1,000 acres, and no less than 100 acres within an agricultural area, and not exceeding 5,000 acres outside an agricultural area, might be applied for at a price to be fixed by the Governor-in-Council; the land must be fenced within three years, and 5s. per acre must be spent on improvements within five years. Garden lands of not less than five acres, nor more than twenty acres (except in special cases), might be purchased at 20s. an acre, subject to the condition that the area must be fenced, and one-tenth planted with vines, fruit trees, or vegetables, within three years. In the Kimberley, North-west, Gascoyne, Eastern, and Eucla divisions, special areas of not less than 5,000 acres could be set apart for purchase. The total quantity that any person could hold in one division was 5,000 acres, and the minimum 100 acres; a lessee could acquire a freehold at the same price, and under the same conditions of payment and improvement as were imposed upon purchasers within the specially declared areas.
The leases of run holders were assured to them for twenty-one years, and if they stocked their land to a defined extent their rent was reduced. Under this code pastoral leases expire on the 31st December, 1907; the rental was varied in the different divisions according to the class of land. The rental for every 1,000 acres was:—In South-west division, in blocks of not less than 3,000 acres, 20s.; in Gascoyne and Eucla divisions, in blocks of not less than 20,000 acres for each of the first seven years 10s., for each of the second seven years 12s. 6d., and for the third 15s; in the North-west division, in blocks of not less than 20,000 acres, for each of the first seven years 10s., for second 15s., and for third 10s.; in Eastern division, in blocks of not less than 20,000 acres, for each of the first seven years 2s. 6d., for second 5s, and for third 7s. 6d; in Kimberley division, in blocks of not less than 50,000 acres, with frontage, and 20,000 acres, without frontage, for first seven years 10s, for second 15s., and for third 20s. Any lessee in the Kimberley and Eucla divisions might have a reduction of one-half the rental for the first fourteen years of his lease if, at Kimberley, he had, within five years of the date of these regulations, in his possession within the division ten head of sheep or one head of large stock for every 1,000 acres, or, in parts of the Eucla division, in lieu of stock, if he had expended £8 per 1,000 acres in tanks, wells, dams, or in boring for water. A penalty (except in South-west division) of double rental was imposed if the lessee had not within seven years complied with the stocking (ten head of sheep or one head of large stock per 1,000 acres) or improvement clauses. Pastoral lessees under previous regulations might apply for a new lease so as to come under this code. The positions of runs and arrangement of boundary lines were subjected to the approval of the Commissioner. Mining leases (not auriferous) not exceeding 200 acres, nor less than twenty acres, were granted for seven years at a rental of 5s. per acre per annum. A Crown grant could be obtained when machinery equal in value to £3 per acre was erected. New timber regulations were also issued. A clause was inserted enabling the Government, with the approval of the Legislature, to make concessions of land, in fee-simple, or otherwise, in any part of the colony, for constructing railways, establishing industries, or otherwise promoting settlement.
Other circumstances led to the establishment of a much wider popularity for parts of the Kimberley district than can be found in pastoral pursuits. Discoveries of gold of such promise were made there that Western Australia attracted voluntary population. In fact, the discovery of gold furnished the beginning of the most flourishing and beneficent period in local history, and since that time the population has been gradually swelled. With some persistency Western Australians had for upwards of thirty years been prospecting in various parts of the colony for gold. Occasionally slight finds were made, which raised their hopes, but substantially their quest was dispiriting. That rich discoveries were not made earlier may now seem singular, but when it is pointed out that the highly mineralised regions were the least known parts of the huge territory, parts which promised little but sterility, the position will be understood. Nature is benign; often where she does not offer rich soils she gives rich metals. What is now known as the South-west division, or the first settled portions of Western Australia, had been prospected with fair completeness, and no gold mines of particular promise have been found there to this day. Outside those areas, where explorers and settlers went only in comparatively recent years, gold-bearing regions have been discovered. And from out of the ocean in the south, and into the ocean in the north, a belt of mineral country has been more or less proved since gold was found at Kimberley in 1885.
Mr. R.F. Sholl, at Camden Harbour, and settlers in what was called the North-west district, had spoken at different times of promising-looking mineral areas. In March, 1882, Mr. Alexander McRae, while riding between Cossack and Roebourne, picked up a nugget of gold weighing 14 dwts. Mr. E.T. Hardman, a man of considerable knowledge and diligence, was appointed Government Geologist to the colony, and in January,
