Land settlement in South Australia, 1857-1890

Abstract

The chief aim of this thesis is to show how South Australian land legislation came to be passed and administered, and why it was reluctant and inadequate until 1868 and thereafter more ready and constructive. The answer to these questions is attempted first, by a survey of the chief geographical, technological and economic factors of settlement (chapters 1-3); second, by an examination of the composition of parliament and of administration in the Department of Crown Lands (Chapter 4); and third, by a study of the political issues that in varying degrees induced the Legislature to accept responsibility for rural producers. (First paragraph of introduction).