VPRS 14438 Register of Approved Overseas Settlers, British Empire Settlement Act 1922

Full description

Under the provisions of the British Empire Settlement Act 1922 a number of agreements were made between the Imperial, Commonwealth and State Governments to encourage British residents to migrate to Australia for the purpose of land settlement and to augment the labour force. Overseas promotion and supervision of selection for these schemes became a Commonwealth responsibility.

This series consists of a record of the settlers assisted by the Closer Settlement Board. Details given are the file number relating to that settler, the name of the settler with the name of the ship which had been travelled on and the date of arrival as well as the individual's address. This was often the Elcho Training Farm near Lara which had been established with two-thirds of the costs of establishment, management and maintenance having been borne by the British and Commonwealth Governments. The registration of the individual as a settler is also recorded with notes regarding applications for land, actual placements and inspections of land. The final column gives the details of any allotment granted to the settler. One group settlement was established in the Mallee with other settlers being placed about on dry and irrigable areas.

At the front of the volume are summary details of placements, such as those noted in the Closer Settlement Board's Annual Report to Parliament, for 1923 to 1925.