ABSTRACT
At the commencement of the period, Ripon's regulations came into force, but remained inoperative l because of the distress throughout the thirties. With a free population of only 13,334, a million and a half acres had been alienated, the consequence being that no good land remained for the immigrant.2 Agriculture was stagnant,S owing to the loss of the mainland markets in the twenties and, although the opening of Port Phillip and South Australia afforded some relief to the grazier, that was only temporary. Then, when the price of land rose to 12/3 and when assignment stopped,5 ruin was imminent.
