Collection 163 - Albury Crown Land Agent

No definitive date exists for the creation of the Albury Crown Lands Agent's Office, however the appointment of the first Crown Land Agent for the District of Albury (H.S. Elliott) was announced in the NSW Government Gazette on 19 December 1861. (1)

Both the Crown Lands Alienation Act, 1861 (25 Vic. No. 1, 1861) and the Crown Lands Occupation Act, 1861 (25 Vic. No. 2, 1861) which set out the duties of land agents received assent on 18 October, 1861. The former dealt with the sale of land. The duties of a land agent under this Act included:
(a) accepting written applications for conditional purchases of land between 40 and 120 acres (2)
(b) receiving deposits of 25% of the purchase price (3)
(c) determining by lot the successful purchaser (if two or more applications are made for the same land) (4)
(d) recording particulars of applications for provisional purchases into a book (5)
(e) forwarding particulars of applications to 'the proper officer of government' each week. (6)
(f) arranging refunds if a purchaser withdrew from a conditional purchase of unsurveyed land within one year of application (7)
(g) Certifying occupancy and improvements to conditionally purchased land final purchase of the land (8)
(h) Making land available to other purchasers if the deposit has not been paid (9)
(I) recording in a book all sales made by him under the Act. (10)

Under the Crown Lands Alienation Act, 1861 the Land Agent:
(a) received payments of renewals of leases (11)
(b) Converted leases under the Crown Land Regulations, 1848 to those under the Crown Lands Alienation Act, 1861 (12)
(c) arranged leases for land which was not bid for at auction (13)

Regulations under the Acts were published in pamphlet form and were available from 15 November, 1861 (14)

The Crown Lands Acts on 1861 were repealed by An Act to regulate the Alienation Occupation and Management of Crown Lands and for other purposes, 1884 (48 Vic. No.18, 1884) which retained Land Agents whose duties were prescribed by the Act and the Regulations in pursuance of the Act published on 2 January, 1885. Agents, however increasingly became officers of the Local Land Boards.

Land Agents were to:
(1) keep separate registers for - Conditional Purchases, Improvement Purchases in Gold-fields, Conditional Leases, Homestead Leases, Purchases under Preferment Right, After auction purchases of leases and other matters respectively. The registers were to contain particulars of applications, deposits and declarations and kept in the form prescribed by the Minister.
(2) Precisely date all forms handed to him
(3) Forward all forms received by him to the Local Land Board Office each Monday
(4) Transmit funds received by him to the Colonial Treasurer in accordance with regulations for collectors of Revenue
(5) Display lists of applications for Conditional Purchases, Conditional Leases and homestead leases prominently in his office for 14 days after their receipt
(6) Receive all applications for purchases and leases if made on the correct form and accompanied by the appropriate fee. If he believed it was out or order he was required to advise the client verbally and to make a note for the Land Board for determination
(7) Verify alterations an applications
(8) Be present at the office in the prescribed hours as advised in the NSW Government Gazette and during this time to give information to clients without charge. (15)

From 1927 Land Agents under the Crown Lands, Closer Settlemement, Returned Soldiers Settlement and Western Lands Acts were registered by the Land and Environment Court. Six months after the proclamation of the Act it was illegal to work as an Agent unless registered. (16)

End Notes:
(1) NSW Government Gazette, 20 December 1861, pg.2706.
(2) Crown Lands Alienation Act, 1861 (25 Victoria Act No. 1) s. 13
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ibid
(5) Ibid. s. 15
(6) Loc. Cit.
(7) Ibid. s. 16
(8) Ibid. s. 18
(9) Ibid. s. 26
(10) Ibid. s. 27
(11) Crown Lands Occupation Act, 1861 s. 12 (3)
(12) Ibid. s. 12 (4)
(13) Ibid. s. 12(12)
(14) NSW Government Gazette 15 November, 1861 p. 2446
(15) Regulations made in pursuance of the Crown Lands Act of 1884 paragraphs 6-12 Duties of Land Agents
(16) Land Agents Act, 1927 (Act No 3, 1927) s. 4