acting with the Minister for Lands for the time being. Under this Act, portions of the runs at present held under former Pastoral Leases Acts, amounting to one-fourth, one-third, and even one-half, according to the length of the leases yet to run, will be resumed for sub-division; the balance may be held by the present lessees on certain terms, with longer leases than those under which they have hitherto been held. Grazing Farms. In the resumed portions, grazing farms may be selected in proclaimed districts, in areas of not more than 20,000 acres, nor less than 2,560 acres, at a rent to be fixed by the Land Board, not being less than 3s. 4d. per acre per annum. The proclamation opening the land for selection will declare the maximum area which may be selected in each district and the rent. When an application has been approved of by the Land Commissioner, and confirmed by the Board, a non-transferable licence will be issued for three years, and within that time a selector must enclose his farm with a substantial fence. At the end of this period, if the selector proves that he has so fenced in his holding, and performed the condition of residence, a transferable lease for 30 years will be granted him, at a rent to be determined every five years by the Land Board. Agricultural Farms. Suitable agricultural areas will also be proclaimed in which agricultural farms may be selected of not more than 1,280 acres, nor less than 320 acres, but any person may apply for and select any smaller area that is comprised in one complete surveyed block. The proclamation opening the land to selection will declare the maximum area which may be selected in any one district, will specify the lots and their areas, the rent, which is not to be less than 3d. per acre, and the purchasing price. A licence will be issued to the selector, who must within five years fence in the land or make permanent improvements of a value equal to the cost of the fence. When the conditions of residence and improvements are fulfilled a transferable lease for 50 years will be granted, at a rent to be determined every five years by the Land Board. If the lessee can prove ten years continued residence, he will be entitled to purchase the holding at a price to be fixed by the Land Board, which will not be less than 20s. per acre. Homesteads. In the case of an agricultural farm of not more than 160 acres, if the lessee proves five years' residence, and an expenditure of not less than 10s. an acre on permanent improvements, he can secure the fee simple by paying such sum as shall, with the rent already paid, amount to 2s. 6d. an acre. The Government will also conduct sales of land by auction in and near townships. The upset price of town blocks may be 81. per acre, the size varying from one rood to one acre. Suburban lands within one mile from the town lands will be in lots from one to five acres; beyond again from one to ten acres, the upset price being 21. per acre. Of the 420,000,000 acres contained in the Colony, the total granted in fee-simple up to the end of 1884 was 7,099,275 acres, for which 4,850,1097. had been paid. Government. The Government of Queensland is composed of the Governor, appointed by Her Majesty the Queen, and an Executive Council, composed of the responsible ministers of the Crown. The Legislature is formed of two Houses of Parliament, the Legislative Council or the Upper House, and the Lower House or Legislative Assembly. The members of the Council are nominated by the Governor, and hold their offices for life. The members of the Legislative Assembly are elected by the suffrages of the people. There is no property qualification required for membership in either branch of the Legislature. The voting for members of the Assembly is by ballot. The franchise is on the most liberal footing, every man of 21 years, who has resided as much as six months in one locality, having a vote. Persons having property, either leasehold or freehold, or a licence to depasture lands from the Government in any electoral district in which they do not reside, have the right of a vote in the district where such property may be situated, as well as in the district for which they claim as residents. In the Upper Chamber of the Legislature there are at present 36 members, including the President of the Council. By the Electoral Districts Act of 1878, and the Additional Members Act of 1885, the Colony is divided into 44 districts, of which 16 return two members, and 29 return one member each, or a total of 59 members. The most northerly district in the Colony, Somerset, is as yet unrepresented. Queensland became a Colony on 10th December, 1859, the territory having been separated from New South Wales on that date. POPULATION, CROWN LANDS, AGRICULTURE, LIVE STOCK, MINING, IMPORTS, EXPORTS, REVENUE, AND EXPENDITURE, No. £ £ £ Acres. Acres. Acs. Νο. No. No. Public Debt, on 31st December, 1884, 16,419,8507. For the years previous to 1875 the Treasury statements were made for the year ending on 31st December, but the revenue and expenditure for 1875 are only up to 30th June, the "Audit Act" of 1874 having altered the commencement of the financial year to 1st July. The subsequent returns of Revenue and Expenditure relate to the financial year ending on 30th June. For these years the figures only show the value of the gold sent from the gold fields under escort, but a large quantity is sent by private hands, to save escort fees, of the value of which it is impossible to form an estimate. Ale, beer, porter, cider, perry, and vinegar, in bottle, for twelve reputed pint bottles. Tobacco and snuff, per lb. Cigars, per lb. Opium, per lb. 2 6 05 0 1 00000 0 0 0 6 4 0 2 8 5 0 0 3 4 00 0 2 050 Cheese, bacon, hams, and hops, per lb.. Bran and pollard, per bushel Cordage and rope, per cwt. Saltpetre, per cwt. Fish (pickled and salted, in casks), per cwt. 11222000 8 0 06 0 10 0 0 0 0 4 0 01 0 010 of an inch in Anchors and chain cables over diameter, iron ore, plain sheet iron (not including galvanised), pig, bar, rod, scrap, and hoop iron, boiler plates, tin plates, block tin, sheet and pig lead, zinc, sheet copper, muntz metal, unwrought steel, gold, silver, and copper coin, and unmanufactured gold and silver, printed books and newspapers, live animals, manure, green fruit, garden seeds, and garden produce, bulbs, trees, shrubs, and flour, antique curiosities, and specimens of natural history, outside packages in which goods are ordinarily imported, and which are of no commercial value except as covering for goods, passengers' cabin furniture and baggage, and passengers' personal effects (not including vehicles, musical instruments, glassware, chinaware, silver and gold plate, and 0 2 plated goods, and furniture other than cabin 0 0 furniture) which are imported with, and by passengers bona fide for their own personal use, and not imported for the purpose of sale, naval and military stores, stores imported for the service of the Colonial Governments, or for the use of Her Majesty's land or sea forces, and wines and spirits for the use of His Excellency the Governor, or for naval and military officers employed on actual naval or military service and on full pay, New Zealand flax, quicksilver, and hemp. 0 1 6 Preserved meat and fish (not salted), Galvanised or corrugated iron, iron ROUTES BETWEEN BRISBANE, LONDON, AND THE NEIGHBOURING COLONIES. Place. New Caledonia, Isle of Pines Via Sydney Solomon Islanis ... ... Via Batavia Governors of Queensland. Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G., 10th December, 1859. Colonel Maurice Charles O'Connell (Adminstrator), 4th January, 1868. Colonel Samuel Wensley Blackall, 14th Aug., 1868. Colonel Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell, Knt (Administrator), 2nd January, 1871. Marquis of Normanby, P.C. and G.C.M.G., 12th August, 1871. Colonel Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell, (Administrator), 12th November, 1874. 6 7 steam, 15 sailing 8 steam, 17 sailing 11 days 9 steam, 18 sailing 13 days 5 steam, 11 sailing 10 days 6 steam, 14 sailing Knt, William Wellington Cairns, C.M.G., now K.C.M.G., 23rd January, 1875. Colonel Sir Maurice Charles O'Connell, Knt., (Administrator), 14th March, 1877. Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy, G.C.M.G., C.B., 10th April, 1877. The Honourable Joshua Peter Bell (Administrator), (during the absence on leave of the governor), 19th March, 1880. Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer, K.C.M.G., Administrator, 2nd May, 1883. Sir Anthony Musgrave, G.C.M.G., 6th Nov., 1883. William Forrest. Peter Macpherson. J. F. M'Dougall. C. S. D. Melbourne. T. L. Murray-Prior. K. I. O'Doherty. W. Pettigrew. J. Taylor. A. J. Thynne. J. S. Turner. Carnarvon Cook Dalby . A. Archer. Chas. E. Chubb, Q.C. J. F. Buckland. Hon. Berkeley Basil Justin F. G. Foxton. Donald S Wallace. C. L. Hill. John Hamilton. J. S. Jessop. Hon. Wm. Miles. Francis Kates. Too Wide Bay Robert Aland. Colonial Secretary's Department. Under Colonial Secretary, Robert J. Gray, 8002. Immigration Agent, Sir St. G. Ralph Gore, Bart., 600/ Chief Inspector of Sheep and Registrar of Brands, Commandant, Defence Force, Col. G. A. French, R.A., Senior Naval Officer, Captain H. T. Wright, R. A., Government Resident, Thursday Island, Hon. Joha Attorney-General's Department. Chief Justice, Hon. Sir Charles Lilley, Kt., 2,500Z Hon. W. H. Groom, 1st Puisne Judge, George R. Harding, 2,0007. 2nd ditto, Hon. Chas. Stuart Mein, 2,0007. District Court Judges (George W. Paul, 1,0007. Granville G. Miller, 1,000 Arthur B. Noel, 1,000l. Sheriff, Arthur Edward Halloran, 8007. Registrar of Supreme Court, Clerk of the Peace, Crown Solicitor, J. H. Gill, 1,0007. Curator of Intestate Estates, and Curator in Insanity, Secretary to Crown Law Offices, Wm. Crompton, Department of Public Instruction. Under Secretary for Public Instruction, J. G. General Inspector of Schools, D. Ewart, 6007. Colonial Treasurer's Department. Under Secretary to the Treasury, Edward B. Cullen, 8007. Collector of Customs, T. M. King, 7001. Hon. S. W. Griffith, Q.C. Portmaster, Commander G. P. Heath, R.N., 8007. Speaker, Hon. W. H. Groom, 1,0007. F.R.G.S. Chairman of Committees, S. Fraser, 5007. * Vacant. Elections pending. |