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91 THE LAND AND LAND SALES. In the early times of the old Colonies, land was granted to indivi duals or companies for services rendered, as favor, or in consideration of capital introduced. In this way Governor Brisbane distributed 180,000 acres, subject to a quit rent of two shillings per hundred acres. In Van Diemen’s Land, up to the period of forming this Colony, there were granted 1,053,350 acres. In 1831 Lord Ripon’s regulations ended this system, and ordered sales by Public Auction, with an upset of five shillings an acre. This was raised to twelve shillings by orders dated August 9th, 1838, and Gazetted in Sydney, January 17th, 1839. The avowed reason was to check the dispersion of the people, and to cheapen labor. If the man of small means could not easily procure land, he would make a good labourer. The Wakefield system was now in full blown favor. Two Colonies were organised upon it,—South Australia and New Zealand. The principle was concentration and especial favor to capitalists. Governor Bourke described it as “A perverse rejection of the bounty of Providence.” Like his generous predecessor Macquarie, he stoutly fought for an agricultural yeomanry, a country’s pride, a country’s sure defence. The great grantee land owners of New South Wales still wanted a little more, and that upon the easiest terms ; and in a memorial to the Sydney Government mo destly suggested the propriety of investing the Governor with full power to grant not more than 12,800 acres, or twenty square miles, to any “ respectable party of station, education and capital, and of habits worthy of being imitated by the humbler classes.” The pay ment for the same was proposed to be as follows ;—1000 acres at one pound an acre, payable in 10 years, and the balance of 11,800 to be a free gift subject to a quit rent oi \£12 a year for ever. The moralist may regret that this plan of forming a model moral gentry,—at least model till the grant came,—-could not be carried into effect. The humbler classes might not be raised in condition, but they would have the satisfaction of toiling hard on low wages for these interesting ex amples of “ Virtue rewarded.” By the orders of 1829 certain districts were described as within the “ limits of location” Those therefore, with small means, who wanted to keep a few sheep or cattle had to go beyond the boundary. But the richer men found it equally convenient to run their flocks and herds in that waste of pasture. While the population was small
