VPRS 16759 Soldier Settlement and Land Settlement Deeds Register

This series comprises Deed Registers (card system held in binders), that were created by the Soldier Settlement Commission and its successor agencies. The function of the Deed Registers was to record the documents held as securities (deeds) relating to the settlers' other debts which would impact on their ability to pay off the Purchase Lease on the Soldier and Land Settlement Estate blocks.This record of each settler's other financial liabilities and repayment of these debts, was part of the process for determining their suitability as an applicant for the land settlement scheme. The registers document the settlers' deeds held by the Commission e.g. a lien, bills of sale, lease mortgages, and the date of discharge or repayment for each deed. In some instances the deeds were disbursed to the Commonwealth Bank or other institutions.Each Register card recorded the following information: Name of Applicant; Address; Deed Pocket No.; Other loans; Term; File No.; Documents held as Security (Nature of Deed/ Reg. No. or Vol. & Fol. / Parties/ Principal Sum/ Disposal of Document/ Date). Entries in the Registers are in alphabetical order of the applicants' family name. The File number consists of the correspondence number which is the first part of the Purchase Lease file number, and a letter prefix relating to the category of applicant e.g. A2842 for settler Clifford Albert Wiseman. The letter prefix categories are subject to further research but include SU that refers to single unit farms.The registers are divided into three types of settlement: Soldier Settlement General Settlers; Soldier Settlement Single Unit Settlers; Settlers under the Land Act.BACKGROUND TO SCHEMEIn 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 ownershipLess 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.