VPRS 13926 Register of Applications, Workmen's Homes

Part III of the Land Act 1898 permitted the purchase of land and its subdivision for the purpose of Closer Settlement. A new departure was made by the purchase of land at Brunswick ''where workmen might devote their spare time and labour to create for themselves comfortable homes under healthy and cheerful conditions" as well as purchases for Closer Rural Settlement. Terms and conditions for the scheme were the same as for other Conditional Purchase Leases being later covered by Section 383 of the consolidated Land Act 1901 and Section 50 of the Closer Settlement Act 1904.Persons applying had their details registered in a Register of Applications. They had to be over 21 years of age and engaged in work "for hire or reward" and not possessed of real or personal property worth more than one hundred pounds. The Register gives the name and current address of the applicant, the number allocated the application (which becomes the file number), the location of the allotment and its extent, the decision with respect to the application and remarks.Originally, prior to the passing of the Closer Settlement Act 1904, applicants applied for a perpetual lease. With the passing of that Act, this became a Conditional Purchase Lease. Rents were to be paid in half-yearly instalments, including interest on the unpaid portion of the purchase money and were to continue for at least six years before it could be assigned to another person. (Rent Rolls held by PROV as VPRS 13927 document the payment of these instalments.) After twelve years, if the Board was satisfied, application could be made for a Crown grant of the land. Conditions for continuance of the lease were set and observance of them determined by inspectors under the authority of the Land Purchase and Management Board.Conditions included those that, within one year of the date of the lease, the successful applicant was to fence the allotment and erect a substantial dwelling upon it, within two years make additional substantial improvements and not allow more than one residence or business on the allotment.By 1912, a number of estates either exclusively or partially devoted to Workmen's Homes had been developed. Crown land was utilised for them at Dowling Forest, Maddingley (near Bacchus Marsh), Geelong, Warrnambool and Werribee. Repurchased estates were used at Brunswick, Cadman's, Dal Campbell, Footscray, Glen Huntly, Pender's Grove, Phoenix and Tooronga. Detailed files for the repurchase of estates and for individual allotments may be found in VPRS 5714/P Closer [and Soldier] Settlement Files using the denominator 50 (Section 50 Closer Settlement Act 1904).VPRS 13926/P1 was previously registered as Unit 4 of VPRS 455/P Applications Registers Land Act 1898 and Units 104, 153 and 206 of VPRS 458/P Applications Registers, Land Act Unknown.