Up to 1,280 acres may be obtained under this tenure, at from
13s. 4d. per acre, payable in twenty annual instalments without
interest. No other conditions.
Purchase of an Unconditional Selection.
A deed of grant may be obtained at any time on payment of the
balance of the purchase price. Two and a-half per cent. per annum
is allowed if the amount is paid before due.
Prickly Pear Selection.
Maximum area, 2,560 acres. This applies to land infested with
prickly-pear. Term, twenty-five years, with a peppercorn rental for
the first period, and an annual rent during the second period equal
to the amount of the purchasing price divided by the number of
years in the second period.
Conditions.
The land must be absolutely cleared of pear during the first
period as notified in the notification opening the land for
selection, and kept clear during the second period.
Freehold of Prickly Pear Selections.
The freehold may be obtained at any time after the expiration
of two years from the beginning of the second period by the payment
of the balance of the purchase money, provided he has obtained a
certificate from the Commissioner that the conditions have been
fulfilled.
Price of Prickly Pear Selections.
The price varies according to the state of infestation from nil
upwards, and in some cases where the land is badly infested a bonus
is given. The purchasing price or bonus is stated in the opening
notification.
Pastoral Holdings.
Pastoral holdings may be obtained on long leases, with
practically no restriction as to area. Terms up to thirty years.
Occupation Licenses.
Large areas may be rented from the Government from year to year
under an occupation license. No limitation to area.
Group Settlement.
Under special conditions families from the same community are
allowed to settle in groups so as to permit of their retaining
their social relations.
Size of Groups.
Groups of from six families to as many as seventy families have
already been successfully formed.
Inspection.
It is a good plan for friends to club together to pay the
expenses of one of their number to go to Queensland to find land
for a “group” to accommodate them all.
Miners’ Homestead Leases.
Under the provisions of “_The Miners’ Homestead Leases Act of
1913_,” homestead leases can be acquired by application, or by
tender or public auction by residents of any mining field
throughout the State, in areas not exceeding 640 acres. During
the first period of thirty years the annual rental on areas up to
40 acres is 1s. per acre, and 6d. for any additional acreage in
excess of this area. This rental does not, of course, apply to
homesteads acquired by tender or sale. After the expiration of the
thirty years’ lease a nominal rental of 1s. only can be demanded.
The minimum annual rental for any homestead is 5s.
Can an Alien select Land in Queensland?
Yes, provided he obtains a certificate to the effect that he
can read and write words in such language as the Minister for Lands
may direct; also provided that he becomes a naturalised British
subject within five years of his selecting the land, failing which
he will forfeit all his right, title, and interest in the land
selected.
What is an Alien?
Any person who is not a British subject. For instance,
Americans, Frenchmen, Swedes, Italians, Russians, &c.
When can an Alien become Naturalised?
After he has been at least two years in the Commonwealth of
Australia, he may take the oath of allegiance, become a Britisher,
and enjoy all the freedom and privileges appertaining thereto.
Where must Applications for Land be Lodged?
At the local Land Office.
How far from the Railway is the Available Land?
Most of the land is not far from existing lines. The policy of
the Government, however, is to build light railway lines (as
feeders to the main lines) to tap agricultural districts, and to
anticipate settlement.
Light Railway Lines Opening Large Areas.
Some of these short lines which it is proposed to build will
open up an immense area of good land.
Crown Lands at Auction.
Crown lands may be acquired in fee-simple by auction purchase
in limited areas as town and suburban lots.
Price.
The minimum purchasing price for land bought at auction is 10s.
per acre.
Terms of Purchase.
Terms up to ten years may be allowed, with interest at 5 per
cent. per annum.
What Assistance does the Government Give the Intending Settler?
The Government issues a railway ticket at half the ordinary
fare to the intending settler desirous of inspecting Crown land
with a view of selecting an area not exceeding 5,120 acres. If the
intending settler subsequently takes up a selection, subject to
personal residence conditions, not exceeding 5,120 acres in area,
the half-fare paid by him is refunded, and his family, self,
ordinary household furniture and effects, agricultural implements,
seed, one dray, and one set of harness are carried free to the
railway station nearest to his selection.
What Other Assistance?
Special reduced rates are granted for the carriage of building
material, fencing wire, and two truckloads of live stock. Wire
netting is also supplied on twenty years’ terms at 5 per cent. per
annum.
Assistance to Obtain Water.
If desired, the State will also sink wells on waterless country,
spreading the cost over the total purchase price of the land over
the term of lease.
What is the Agricultural Bank?
A Government Bank institution established, primarily, for the
purpose of assisting new settlers and also agriculturists and
graziers, to whom it makes advances on the security of freeholds,
licenses, and leases from the Crown, for the purpose of making
improvements on the land or for paying off liabilities, at 5 per
cent. per annum, repayable in twenty-five years or at any time at
the option of the borrower.
What Security is Required?
The applicant for an advance must give a first mortgage on his
holding. The bank advances 12s. in the £1 on the total value of the
land and improvements.
When is it Repayable?
For the first five years only simple interest is charged at 5
per cent. per annum. After five years the borrower must begin to
redeem his advance at the rate of £4 0s. 3d. half-yearly for each
£100 borrowed, inclusive of interest, until the whole has been
paid.
Can the Settler Borrow Money to Buy Stock?
Yes. The Agricultural Bank will advance 12s. in the £1 of the
total value of the land and improvements for the purpose of
purchasing stock, machinery, or implements the selector desires to
purchase, or for relieving the liability on the holding. Advances
at the rate of 13s. 4d. in the £1 on the value of the land and
improvements thereon up to £200 can also be obtained for
unspecified purposes.
Can an Alien Obtain an Advance?
Yes, provided he obtains a certificate to the effect that he
can read and write words in such language as the Minister for Lands
may direct; also provided he becomes a naturalised British subject
within five years of his selecting the land.
Workers’ Dwellings Act.
Under the provisions of this Act the Government make advances,
on easy terms of repayment, for the purpose of enabling persons of
small incomes to erect dwelling-houses as homes for themselves and
their families. The applicant must show that his income does not
exceed £200 per annum, and that he is not the owner of a
dwelling-house in Queensland or elsewhere.
Freeholds Farm.
Plenty of good freehold farms change hands from time to time in
Queensland at from £3 to £20 per acre. Settlers not desirous of
taking up Government land can easily be suited privately.
What is the Nature of the Soil?
It varies with the locality. All of the Northern and Eastern
scrub lands are intensely fertile with vegetable mould. The Darling
Downs contains 4,000,000 acres of magnificent black soil,
principally decomposed basalt. The soil in the Maranoa district is
lighter and more suited to wheat-growing and vines. These
descriptions apply pretty generally to the whole of Queensland,
particularly the Central Districts.
Who are the most Successful Farmers?
Those who carry on mixed farming, such as dairying,
agriculture, sheep, pig and poultry raising, horticulture and
bee-farming, &c.
Do many of the Farmers Keep Sheep?
Yes; many of them now go in for lamb-raising on lucerne. There
are also a number of selectors who have sheep on areas of from 640
to 4,000 acres.
Is Dairying Increasing in Queensland?
Yes, every day; and nearly all the dairy farmers are
independent men.
How much Milk was Obtained in 1913?
90,545,516 gallons. Quantity utilised for making butter,
73,582,041 gallons; for cheese, 5,268,447 gallons; for condensed
milk, 2,131,382 gallons; sold for domestic purposes, 4,178,758
gallons; and 5,384,888 gallons used on farms.
How did these Dairymen Begin?
Most of them began in a very small way, buying a cow now and
again as they could afford it.
Were they all Small Farmers?
Yes, for the most part. The larger farmers have also taken up
dairying in addition to wheat, maize, barley, lucerne, and oat
growing.
What was the Butter Production in Queensland in 1913?
35,199,387 lb., valued at £1,613,305.
Cheese, 1913?
5,395,050 lb., valued at £141,400.
Condensed Milk made in 1913?
8,059,051 lb., valued at £187,536.
What will a Good Average Cow Earn?
From 15s. to 30s. per month.
What is the Price of a Good Cow?
From £5 to £8. Of course some well-bred cows fetch a much
higher figure.
What is the Class of Dairy Herd in Queensland?
Dairy stock have been imported to Queensland from the principal
herds of the world, and a splendid class of cow is now in use,
comprising the following breeds:—Milking Shorthorn, Ayrshire,
Holstein, Guernsey, and Jersey.
How many Cows does the Average Farm Carry?
It all depends on the size of the holding. There are many large
properties in Queensland milking several hundred cows daily
throughout the year. The average herd is about 20, but many farmers
milk from 80 to 150 daily.
How many Cows could you Carry on 160 Acres?
With good land, mixed farming, and by growing crops and
conserving fodder, you could carry 30 to 40 at a low estimate. Some
160 acres cleared scrub farms carry 70 to 80 cows.
Monthly Cheques.
Suppliers to the factories are paid monthly by cheque, and some
draw £100 and over per month for milk and cream.
Pigs.
Pig-raising is now considered to be a part of dairying, and is
very profitable. The climate is particularly suited to pigs, and no
housing is required.
Pig Farms.
On some holdings large mobs of young pigs are grazed on barley
or alfalfa (lucerne), and topped up in batches in large sties.
Market for Pigs.
There is a certain market for pigs in Brisbane, Toowoomba, &c.,
where there are bacon-curing establishments.
Wheat.
Wheat is sown (late maturing varieties) in March and April, and
(quick maturing varieties) in May, June, and July. Harvesting
extends from October to early in December.
Where Wheat is Principally Grown.
In Southern Queensland. It can also be grown in the
Central-western districts of Queensland.
Wheat Yield.
Crops of 20 to 30 bushels to the acre are commonly reaped in
the best wheat-growing districts of Queensland. Forty bushels per
acre have often been obtained in individual instances.
Maize.
Maize is planted in July and August right up to January, and is
fit for harvesting in 120 days. It can be grown all over
Queensland, where the rainfall is sufficient. Two crops a year are
possible in sub-tropical scrub and coastal country.
Maize Yield.
Immense yields of maize, from 40 to 80 bushels per acre, are
frequently obtained on the rich scrub lands. Yields of 120 bushels
per acre have also been obtained.
Barley.
Barley does particularly well on the Darling Downs, where the
quality of the crop for malting purposes is held by English experts
to equal the best Hungarian. Crops of from 30 to 40 bushels are
frequent in a good season.
Sugarcane.
Sugarcane growing is carried on along the coastal area from
Brisbane northwards. It is planted from January to June; 2,085,588
tons of sugarcane were produced in 1913.
Price Paid for Cane.
Prices for cane vary according to its sugar-producing
properties and the locality in which it is grown. These, however,
range from 20s. to 27s. per ton. Crops of from 40 to even 70 tons
per acre have been obtained in the North.
Hay.
Hay averaged about 1-3/4 tons to the acre for the last twenty
years. Individual crops yield much heavier results.
Potatoes.
Both English and sweet potatoes give heavy yields.
A few of Queensland’s Products for 1913.
Wool (in grease) 154,183,114 lb.
Frozen and preserved meats 265,481,423 〃
Meat Extract 520,748 〃
Butter 35,199,387 〃
Cheese 5,395,050 〃
Bacon and Hams 13,709,716 〃
Maize 3,915,376 bush.
Wheat 1,769,432 〃
Barley 115,975 〃
Sugarcane 2,085,588 tons.
Sugar manufactured 242,837 〃
English potatoes 16,548 〃
Sweet potatoes 14,425 〃
Hay 103,935 〃
Oranges 375,544 bush.
Grapes 4,092,531 lb.
Wine 58,897 gals.
Bananas 1,037,936 bunches.
Pineapples 744,906 doz.
Mangoes 156,349 bush.
Strawberries 152,608 quarts
Apples 49,423 bush.
Papaws 32,287 doz.
Peaches 53,579 bush.
Lucerne or Alfalfa.
This is one of the best crops a farmer can grow in Southern
Queensland. Once planted, it lasts from seven to ten years.
Lucerne Crops.
The roots of lucerne have been known to penetrate the soil for
a depth of 30 ft. In a good year five to six cuttings can be
obtained. Ten cuttings per annum are often obtained around Laidley,
Southern Queensland.
Can a Man get any Crop with his First Ploughing?
Yes. Wheat or Maize.
What First Crop can be got off Scrub Land?
The method is to fell the scrub, and, after it has dried, put a
fire through it. Maize is then put in with a hoe between the
stumps. Some crops up to 85 bushels per acre have been garnered in
this way.
State Agricultural College.
There is a State Agricultural College at Gatton, South
Queensland, where students can undergo a three years’ training at a
cost of under £30 per annum.
Are there any other State Experimental Farms?
Yes. At Hermitage, near Warwick; Roma, South-western
Queensland; Warren, near Rockhampton; Gindie, near Emerald; Kairi,
Atherton district (North Queensland); and at Kamerunga, near Cairns
(North Queensland); Sugar Experiment Station and Laboratory, Mackay
(North Queensland); and experimental plots in all the principal
sugar districts.
House and Buildings.
At first a farmer generally erects a rough, cheap building of
materials cut on the place at a cost of a few pounds, and when
matters improve puts up a more suitable dwelling.
Where can Building Materials be Obtained?
Iron and wood can be obtained in any part of Queensland.
Competition among the timber merchants is so keen that timber can
be procured at a small cost. A small comfortable cottage can be
built for about £100 upwards.
Do Droughts Often Occur?
The last drought was in 1902, and even then there were parts of
Queensland not affected by it. Droughts do not, as a rule, affect
the whole country, and with extended railway communication relief
country will be available.
Recuperative Power of the Land.
The recuperative power of the land is marvellous. A fortnight
after summer rain (following a dry spell) the country is waving
with grasses. Owing to the mild climate, the growth is phenomenal.
Local Markets.
Farmers can readily dispose of all they can grow in the local
markets, where competition amongst buyers is keen.
Southern Markets.
There is a certain market in the South for all Queensland
produce.
Oversea Markets.
A certain market for wool, hides, butter, cheese, frozen meat,
and other products exists in Great Britain and Europe. Trade with
the United States and Canada is developing. There are splendid
openings for trade with Java, China, Japan, and the East generally.
What is the Nature of the Trade with Asia?
Cattle, horses, bones, hoofs, leather, butter, cheese, fodder,
fruits, glue pieces and sinews, barley, oats, wheat, bran, pollard,
flour, hay, chaff, honey, refined animal fats, manures, bacon and
hams, beef, mutton, pork, other meat, milk concentrated and
preserved, potatoes, skins and hides, tallow, wool.
Horses.
There were 707,265 horses in Queensland in 1913. A large
remount trade is now done with India, Java, and the East.
What Parts of Queensland are the Best for Cattle?
Cattle do well all over Queensland, and especially on the
Eastern coast lands and the North.
What Number of Cattle are there in Queensland?
5,322,033 for 1913.
Where do Sheep Thrive Best?
On the great central plains of Western Queensland, and in the
country west of the Dividing Range.
Number of Sheep in Queensland.
21,786,600 for 1913.
Increase of Sheep for Ten Years.
13,394,556.
What was the Value of the Wool in 1913?
£6,296,000.
What was the Value of the Imports and Exports in 1913?
Imports (oversea only), £6,714,942; Exports (oversea only),
£12,352,748; total, £19,067,690. The above figures do not, of
course, include interstate transactions. It is reasonable to assume
that the total value of the imports and exports would be, at least,
doubled.
On what Area could a Man Profitably Grow Wool?
On a grazing farm of 20,000 acres, with a capital of £4,000, he
could make a net income of £600 to £1,000 a year.
Are there Larger Areas than this?
Some of the stations carry from 100,000 to 200,000 sheep, and
are over 1,000 square miles in area. One is 5,000 square miles in
area.
Mining Employees.
There are 12,393 men employed in and around mines in
Queensland.
What is the Ordinary Rate for Unskilled Labour in Mines?
From 8s. 3d. to 13s. per shift of eight hours.
At what Age should a Miner Come to Queensland?
Between 20 and 40 years.
What could a Practical Miner do in Queensland?
He could get work in a mine or prospect the country in search
of minerals.
What is the Aggregate Area of the Mining Fields Proclaimed Open?
78,073 square miles.
What was the Total Output of Gold from Queensland Mines to the end of
1913?
17,973,674 fine oz.
What was the Total Value of this Output?
£76,347,265.
What was the Total Value of Minerals other than Gold won from
Queensland Mines to the end of 1913?
£31,419,755. Grand total, all minerals, £107,767,020.
Miner’s Right.
On payment of 5s. a year any man can obtain a miner’s right
authorising him to mine for minerals on any Crown lands.
Rewards for Discovery of New Goldfields.
On certain conditions, rewards, not exceeding £500 in one
instance, and not exceeding £1,000 in another, are given by the
Government for the discovery of new goldfields.
Prospecting.
Prospectors for tin in the North—chiefly about Herberton—do
fairly well.
Claims.
The holder of a miner’s right may by himself or his agent take
up and hold any number of claims or shares in such claims, provided
that such claims or shares are duly worked and represented by the
prescribed number of men.
Seasons.
The spring commences in September, and the summer ends in
February. The winter climate is perfect.
Religious Freedom.
There is no State church in Queensland. All religious
denominations are on an equality, and complete religious liberty
prevails.
Education.
Education is free and compulsory.
Expenditure on Education.
£657,613 were spent by the State on education in 1913.
State Schools.
There are 1,338 State Schools in Queensland, with a total
enrolment of 119,006 scholars, and 3,269 teachers.
Total Schools, including State Schools, 1913.
1,518 schools, with an average daily attendance of 97,852
scholars.
Country Schools.
There are excellent State schools situated throughout the
country districts of Queensland.
Provisional Schools.
Provisional schools are established wherever necessary.
Higher Educational Institutions.
Six High Schools (free), 16 Technical Colleges, 10 Grammar
Schools (boys and girls), a School of Mines at Charters Towers
(North Queensland), and a University.
Education in Sparsely-populated Districts.
Travelling Government teachers periodically visit the more
sparsely settled districts to arrange for the education of the
children so circumstanced. Half-time Schools are also established
on many sheep and cattle stations.
Adult Vote.
Every man and woman in Queensland over the age of twenty-one
years is entitled to a vote.
A Law-abiding Community.
Queensland is one of the most law-abiding countries in the
world.
Orderliness of Crowds.
The orderliness of large crowds is a remarkable feature of
Australian life, and one which generally causes surprise on the
part of the visitor. This orderliness is characteristic of
Queenslanders.
A Notable Fact.
The morning after the assemblage of a crowd of nearly 60,000
people on the opening day of the Brisbane Show in 1914 showed a
complete absence of wrongdoing on the police charge-sheet.
Election Crowds.
There is no rowdy conduct during elections in Queensland. Women
visit the polls and record their votes as easily as attending
church.
Queensland Railways.
The Queensland Railways are the property of the State.
How many Miles of State Railway are Open?
4,856 miles to 31st December, 1914.
Railway Receipts and Expenditure, 1913.
Receipts £3,660,022
Expenditure £2,371,261
———————————
Net profit £1,288,761
Private Railways, to 31st December, 1914.
Only 330 miles.
What was the Value of the Gold produced in Queensland for 1913?
£1,128,768 for 265,735 fine oz.
Other Minerals.
Silver, 604,979 oz. (£68,438); copper, 23,655 tons
(£1,660,178); tin, 3,197 tons (£343,669); coal, 1,037,944 tons
(£403,767); gems and opals, £46,292; other minerals, £206,769.
Total Value of Production of other Minerals, 1913.
£2,729,113.
Public Revenue, 1913-14.
£6,973,258.
Public Expenditure, 1913-14.
£6,962,515.
Government Savings Bank, 1913-14.
176,961 depositors had £9,350,999 to credit in the Government
Savings Bank on 30th June, 1914—an average of £52 16s. 10d. per
head.
Banks.
Eleven banks held assets to the amount of £22,845,949 in 1913.
Factories.
There were in 1913 1,838 factories in Queensland employing
42,363 hands. The value of the plant and machinery was £5,877,387,
and the value of the land and premises £3,923,584. Value of output,
£23,688,789.
Hospitals.
There are eighty-five public hospitals in Queensland, besides
numerous private ones.
Shipping of the State, 1913.
2,247,434 tons entered.
2,251,503 tons cleared.
Timber Sawn for 1913.
Softwoods, 98,620,299 superficial feet, valued at the mill,
£778,084; cedar, 882,092 superficial feet, valued at the mill,
£15,964; hardwoods, 57,131,224 superficial feet, valued at the
mill, £510,967; mouldings, &c., £61,872; 1,101,271 sleepers,
£92,906. In addition, at least an equal quantity was used for
bridges, wharves, fencing, &c. Total value of output of sawmills
only, £1,459,793. The 247 sawmills employed 4,621 hands.
The Meat Industry.
In 1913 there were fourteen meatworks (exclusive of seven bacon
factories), which employed 4,225 hands during the season. Total
value of all meat products (including bacon and hams), £8,576,754.