VPRS 1813 Property Branch Crown Solicitor Land Purchase Files

Full description

This series consists of files documenting the purchase of land by the Housing Commission. Pursuant to Section 22 of the Housing Act 1943 the Housing Commission was able, with the consent of the Treasurer of Victoria and the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, to purchase any land compulsorily.

According to the Transfer of Land Act 1958, the Commission was then required to nominate a surveyor to determine the value of the land. In estimating the purchase cost or compensation to be paid by the Housing Commission the value of the land to be purchased was considered as well as the damage (if any) which would be sustained by the owner of the land.

The Property Branch Crown Solicitor Land Purchase Files were created and maintained by officers of the Property Branch of the Housing Commission. The file covers were titled Transfer of Land. The contents of the file were listed on the front cover.

The files include:

Contract of the sale of land.
Certificate of the transfer of land.
Certificate of title.
Price negotiations.
MMBW Certificate as to rates and charges ie. water bills etc.
Certificate from the shire showing the rates, other moneys or interest due or payable on the property.
Correspondence from the Crown Solicitor, Secretary of the Housing Commission, Estates Officer and the lawyers of the owner of the land.

After all payments had been finalised, the files were stamped with the word settled. All moneys were to be paid by the Housing Commission by warrant of the Governor upon the Treasury of Victoria, within one month.

The Land Purchase files enabled the Housing Commission administer the purchase of land, to record the terms of the contracts and the payment of monies to the vendors in a systematic way. This series documents the reappropriation of lands to the Crown as well as evidence that the Housing Commission was acting in compliance with the provisions of the Housing Act 1943 and the Sale of Land Act 1962.