VPRS 16756 Soldier Settlement and Land Settlement Estate Cards

Full description

The Estate Cards record progress of the key steps in the progress of a settler's acquisition of each Lot within the Solder Settlement or Land Settlement Estates.

The Estate Cards comprise two versions of the same index, which are both arranged alphabetically by name of estate, then by numerical sequence of all the Lot numbers within each estate. The Estate Cards do not seem to cover all the allocated lots in each estate and may have been compiled after the settlement scheme had been established.

Box 1 contains the original typed version of the index, which details the key stages in the acquisition process up to the date of a Crown grant. This five stage process comprised: Temporary Lease (TL); Assistance Period (AP); Interim Lease (IL); Purchase Lease (PL); Crown Grant (CG). The index provides the date each settler completed each stage of the process. If the original settler defaulted or pulled out of the lease agreement, the name on the index card was crossed out and updated with the new settler's name.

Box 2 contains the more recent index compiled in biro, which holds less information on the acquisition process. The function of this index seems to have been to record any subsequent sale of each lot after the settler had paid off the lease and purchased the property. Therefore this index holds the date of each settler's purchase lease and the schedule number (not known, subject to further research), but only the date of a Crown grant when the land was sold to a subsequent buyer.

As the more recent index did not include the date of Crown grants for each settler, unless the property was later sold, the original index must have been the major point of reference for information on each settler within the estates.

BACKGROUND TO SCHEME

In December 1943 the Land Settlement (Acquisition) Act was passed in Victoria, providing for the setting apart of Crown land and the acquisition of privately owned land for ex-servicemen. Victoria's Crown lands had been assessed for post-war settlement by Lands Department officers and staff from the CSIRO and Department of Agriculture as early as 1941. Throughout 1944-45 Lands Department inspectors formally checked the suitability of rural properties all over Victoria, and their valuations and reports were eventually handed across when the Soldier Settlement Commission (SSC) started work in February 1946.

The 1945 War Service Land Settlement (WSLS) Agreement (Commonwealth legislation) established the broad outlines for World War II settlement in Victoria. The Soldier Settlement Act 1945 (No. 5107) ratified the terms of this agreement, authorised the setting up of the Soldier Settlement Commission (SSC) and provided the framework for the State scheme. In December 1946 the Soldier Settlement Act 1946 (No. 5179) was passed, authorising the SSC to advance money for Single Unit Farms (SUFs). SUFs were not controlled by the terms of the WSLS Agreement but SUF settlers still had to go through the initial selection process to be classified as eligible and suitable.

In February 1946 the Commission began acquiring portions of land, referred to as 'estates', which were then subdivided into blocks of various sizes within each rural industry. The preliminary development of the blocks was handled by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission (VA 723) in consultation with the SSC.

Potential settlers could submit applications for farms within five years of the scheme's inception and Classification Committees were set up to assess applicants' suitability. The selection process began with an interview and then classification into one of four grades:
- Suitable for farm ownership immediately
- Suitable for farm ownership after a short specialised course
- Suitable for farm employment but needing further experience for ownership
- Unlikely to reach the standard for ownership

Less tangible attributes such as aptitude, energy, physical capacity and mental alertness were also taken into consideration.

In 1947 the first settlement estates were advertised, with classified applicants required to put their names forwards for blocks on particular estates. A second, more detailed, interview was then run by special SSC Land Boards. Applicants were graded using a 100 point system, broken down as follows:
- War service (20 points)
- Farming experience (30 points)
- Personal attributes (30 points)
- Evidence of thrift and financial responsibility (10 points)
- Marital status (10 points)

Other factors were also taken into account and personal references from several people in rural industries were requested. After ratings were given, a process of elimination was applied and an allocation plan drawn up. The three commissioners of the Soldier Settlement Commission assessed the proposed plan before making a final decision.

Leases were granted using a two-tier system, leading to freehold. An Interim Lease covered the establishment period of the farm and could be held for up to seven years. Settlers were only required to pay rent during this period. This was followed by a Purchase Lease that allowed the settler a period of at least six years to consolidate before becoming eligible to obtain freehold title to his farm. The issuing of Interim Leases was delayed due to disagreements between Commonwealth and State over valuations. By the middle of 1950 the Commonwealth agreed to fund living allowances for 752 Temporary Lease settlers. Once they were through an initial assistance period, the terms of the Temporary Lease allowed them to contribute part of their farm proceeds towards a credit account.

The last group settlement was on the 24-block Warrowie estate near Colac, which was advertised in the Government Gazette on 30 November 1960. It wasn't until 1970 that the last settler obtained his purchase lease.