Laymen versus lawyers: the introduction of the Torrens System into Victoria

The introduction of the Torrens system into Victoria in the early 1860s was a controversial reform, largely because of the bitter opposition of the Attorney-General and most-but not all-members of the legal profession. Only after a major public campaign, a general election in which the Torrens system was a principal issue, threats to block supply and a public split in the Cabinet did it make it to the statute books. Along the way it involved many of Victoria's most prominent citizens. The Torrens system had been developed and invented in South Australia in the years 1855- 57, and came into force there on 1 July 1858. It was a mongrel of various bits of assorted existing systems, such as the system for the registration of ships, along with some original ideas. It had been devised by Robert Richard Torrens-a non-lawyer, but Registrar-General of South Australia-and a wide circle of helpers.