Given below are two statements: One is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).

Assertion (A): The effect of the discovery of goldfields in Victoria, in 1852 was that a great stream of free non-convicts from Europe began to flow into Australia.
Reason (R): To prevent any further introduction of undesirable convict immigrants, the legislature passed Convicts Prevention Act in 1852, in Victoria.

In the context of the above statements which of the following is correct?

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

Assertion (A) is true:
The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 (not 1852, though the major rush continued into 1852) did indeed trigger a massive influx of free immigrants from Europe and other parts of the world. The Victorian gold rush attracted hundreds of thousands of people seeking their fortune, dramatically changing Australia's demographic composition with free settlers rather than convicts.

Reason (R) is true:
Victoria did pass the Convicts Prevention Act in 1852 to prevent the introduction of ex-convicts and undesirable immigrants into the colony. This was partly motivated by the desire of the growing free population to distance themselves from the convict origins of some Australian colonies.

Why (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A):
The Convicts Prevention Act was a response to the changing population dynamics brought about by the gold rush, not the cause of the free immigrant influx. The primary reason free immigrants flooded into Victoria was the lure of gold and economic opportunity, not because of legislative action preventing convicts. The Act was more of a complementary measure to maintain the character of the growing free population rather than the driver of that population growth itself.