Austral. One who takes up a block of crown-land under the Land Laws and by annual payments acquires the freehold (Morris). Also called simply selector.
1867. Sydney Morn. Her., 9 Aug. (Morris). The very law which the free selector puts in force against the squatter.
1881. Mrs. C. Praed, Policy & P., III. 260. He made a spring at the free-selector and clutched Sam by the throat, shaking him as though he had been a dog.
1883. Keighley, Who are You, 79. Far apart stood free-selectors’ huts.
So Free-select v. trans., to take up (land) under Government; hence Free-selecting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.: Free-selection, the action of the vb.
1870. T. H. Braim, New Homes, ii. 87. A man can now go and make his free selection before survey of any quantity of land, not less than 40 nor more than 320 acres, at twenty shillings an acre.
1884. Boldrewood, Melb. Mem., xix. 134. Pretty nearly everything which he could have needed had he proceeded to free-select an uninhabited island. Ibid., xx. 142. This was years before the free-selection discovery. Ibid. (1890), Col. Reformer (1891), 321. ‘I camped on the river,’ said Mr. Levison, attacking the corned beef in a deliberate but determined manner; ‘in the bend, just below those free-selecting friends of yours.’ Ibid., 401. Free-selecting here might be very well for some people; it didn’t suit them.
