VPRS 746 Advances Files - Geelong Division

This series consists of files created and maintained by officers of the Closer Settlement Branch of the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538) as a result of the advances schemes for settlers under both the Closer Settlement scheme (commencing from Part III of the Land Act 1898 and followed by the Closer Settlement Act 1904) and the Soldier Settlement schemes (commencing from the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act 1917). The files provide evidence regarding the advance account holder and the land leased. Details given on the cover of the file are the names of the estate and the landholder, the location and area of the land leases and the date and term of the lease. Other details may include a summary of the advances made and the purpose (house, grading, wire netting or stock) and a summary of liens taken on produce and of payments.Other inclusions in the files may consist of correspondence between the settler and the Closer Settlement Board (VA 2266) or the Closer Settlement Commisssion (VA 2268), advances applications, improvement reports made by Inspectors of Land Settlement, payment receipts, asset realisations and Board hearings, proceedings and decisions in relation to the advance account. Some of the files have 'deficiency case' stamped on the facing page. This appears to have been done when the decision was made that there was little or no possibility that the settler would be able to make repayments.Tenants on closer settlement or soldier settlement land lots were able to lease the land for at first a period of six years with residence and improvements conditions. These terms required the lessee to fence the land, destroy vermin and noxious weeds and some leases required the tenant to erect a dwelling on the land within one year. After six years, lessees could mortgage, transfer or sub-let their land. They could also apply for a Crown Grant to purchase the land if the balance of the purchase monies had been paid.Both the Closer Settlement Acts and the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act 1917 (and its successors) allowed for the payment of advances to settlers to allow for the erection of buildings, for fencing, for the purchase of implements and stock and for other defined purposes. The amount able to be obtained and the terms of repayment were set forth in the Acts with the Board (or Commission) able to take a lien or mortgage or other security to ensure repayment of the advance. Details of these may be found in VPRS 11922 Register of Securities, Discharged Soldiers Acts or in VPRS 11923 Register of Securities, Closer settlement Acts.When closer settlement land was first selected like any Crown land, a selection file was created. Selection files are held in VPRS 5714 Closer [and Soldier] Settlement Files. If settlers applied for and were granted an advance, an advance file was created.The advance file records the closer settlement selection file number of the advance account holder. Conversely, if an advance file existed, the selection file will record the advance file number. The two files were maintained simultaneously as the selection file recorded information about the lease/licence of the land and the advance file recorded information specifically concerning advances made to lease/licence holders.