▁occupation ▁the ▁colonial ▁government ▁comm enced ▁a ▁process ▁of ▁large - scale ▁res umption ▁of ▁le ase - hold ▁past oral ▁land ▁for ▁closer ▁agricult ural ▁selection . ▁Under ▁the ▁Past oral ▁Le ases ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 9 , ▁squ at ters ▁had ▁the ▁option ▁of ▁protect ing ▁their ▁hom est ead s ▁and ▁permanent ▁improvements ▁from ▁this ▁process ▁by ▁making ▁a ▁pre - empt ive ▁purchase ▁of ▁ ▁of ▁their ▁le ase . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁Robert son ▁purchased ▁the ▁land ▁surrounding ▁Ball ande an ▁head ▁station , ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁home ▁station , ▁meat ▁station , ▁w ool sh ed , ▁stock y ards ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁improvements . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s ▁the ▁Ball ande an ▁le ase ▁en comp ass ed ▁ ▁extending ▁north ▁to ▁Fol k stone ▁and ▁south ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁border . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁about ▁half ▁the ▁le ase hold , ▁, ▁was ▁res umed ▁for ▁closer ▁settlement . ▁ ▁While ▁Robert son ▁maintained ▁Well ington ▁V ale ▁as ▁his ▁principal ▁place ▁of ▁residence ▁he ▁also ▁took ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁affairs ▁of ▁Ball ande an . ▁He ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁spent ▁some ▁time ▁there ▁and ▁used ▁his ▁free hold ▁title ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁the ▁district ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 4 . ▁After ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁Robert son ' s ▁execut ors ▁cons olid ated ▁Ball ande an ▁run ▁concurrent ly ▁with