VPRS 16291 Soldier Settlement and Land Settlement Property Acquisition Files

The files in this series document the processes involved in identifying suitable land and property, valuing it and acquiring it from owners, either compulsorily or by agreement under the Land Settlement (Acquisition) Act 1943. The land was acquired for subdivision and allocation to applicants under the Soldier Settlement Scheme, which was established under the Soldier Settlement Act 1945 (No. 5107), and the Land Settlement Scheme, which was established under the Land Settlement Act 1953 (No. 5768).The original filing system was created by the Department of Crown Lands and Survey. Under Section 2 of the Land Settlement (Acquisition) Act 1943, the Department's Officers inspected privately owned land and reported on its suitability to be acquired for land settlement. The earliest records on the files which cover the period 1943 to 1946, document the preliminary research and valuation of properties deemed eligible for government acquisition. These records include the Report on Property, State Land Tax Valuation and the Search Report for land folio information. The files relating to properties found to be unsuitable may have been retained by the Department of Crown Lands and Survey. Whether these records still exist is subject to further research.In 1946 the eligible property files were handed over to the Soldier Settlement Commission, who managed negotiations with the owners. The Commission's negotiations included an agreed valuation of the land and improvements, documents relating to compulsory acquisition of land, purchasing part of a subdivided property, issuing temporary leases back to the vendors. There are files in this series where properties initially deemed eligible did not end up being acquired for land settlement. The files also include documents relating to the proposed subdivisions and development of acquired land into settlement estates. There will be some overlap in content to VPRS 16289 and VPRS 16290 with the subdivision and survey files. Besides a few instances of inquiries from interested people to when estates would become available, there seems to be no overlap of documentation relating to the actual clients of the Soldier Settlement and Land Settlement schemes.The files can contain the following records: survey plans, property inspection reports, correspondence relating to the acquisition process, title search information, valuation reports, copies of Commission resolutions, and details of agreements and copies of compulsory acquisition orders, correspondence and receipt of payments for temporary leases.This series date-range reflects the two stage process and recording agencies who contributed to these files. The Department of Crown Lands and Survey established the files in 1943 to hold the property valuations and reports on the suitability of land for acquisition under section 2 of the Land Settlement (Acquisition) Act. The Department's involvement from 1943 to 1946 is recorded in the following documents on the files: Report on Property, State Land Tax Valuation and Search Report. In 1946 the files were handed over to the Soldier Settlement Commission, to manage the negotiations property owners and the issuing of settler leases.A series end date of circa 1970 has been chosen as this appears to be the year in which the last file in the numbering sequence was raised. Documents continued to be added to files by successor agencies but 1970 reflects the end date of the majority of the series content (the last major Soldier Settlement estate was purchased in 1961 and the scheme considered effectively over by 1962, while the majority of Land Settlement activity occurred during the 1960s and early to mid 1970s).Not all files relating to the valuation and acquisition process have survived.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.

本系列档案完整记录了依据1943年《土地安置（征收）法》（"Land Settlement (Acquisition) Act 1943"），通过强制征收或协议收购两种方式，识别适配土地与房产、开展估值工作并从所有者手中获取土地的全流程。该土地经细分后将分配给申请人，相关安置计划包括依据1945年《军人安置法》（"Soldier Settlement Act 1945"，编号5107）设立的军人安置计划（"Soldier Settlement Scheme"），以及依据1953年《土地安置法》（"Land Settlement Act 1953"，编号5768）设立的土地安置计划（"Land Settlement Scheme"）。

本档案的原始归档系统由王室土地与测量部（"Department of Crown Lands and Survey"）建立。根据1943年《土地安置（征收）法》第2条规定，该部门官员将对私有土地进行实地勘查，并出具土地是否适宜用于土地安置项目的评估报告。档案中最早的记录可追溯至1943至1946年，内容为符合政府征收条件的房产的初步调研与估值工作，相关记录包括《财产报告》（"Report on Property"）、《州土地税估值报告》（"State Land Tax Valuation"）以及地籍信息查询报告（"Search Report"）。经认定不适宜征收的房产档案，可能仍由王室土地与测量部留存，目前此类记录是否尚存需进一步考证。

1946年，符合条件的房产档案被移交至军人安置委员会（"Soldier Settlement Commission, SSC"），由其负责与土地所有者开展协商谈判。委员会的协商工作涵盖土地及地上附着物的协议估值、土地强制征收相关文件、收购细分房产的部分份额，以及向原所有者签发临时租赁协议等内容。本系列档案中存在部分初始被认定符合条件，但最终未被纳入土地安置项目的房产档案。此外，档案还包含拟进行土地细分以及将已征收土地开发为安置社区的相关文件。本系列档案与VPRS 16289、VPRS 16290的土地细分与测量档案存在部分内容重叠。除少数公众咨询安置社区开放时间的问询记录外，本系列档案与军人安置及土地安置计划的实际客户相关文档几乎无重叠。

本系列档案可包含以下类型的记录：测量图纸、房产勘查报告、征收流程相关函件、产权查询信息、估值报告、委员会决议副本、征收协议详情、强制征收令副本、临时租赁相关函件及付款收据等。

本系列档案的时间跨度反映了参与档案创建的两阶段流程及负责机构。王室土地与测量部于1943年建立本档案，用于存储依据1943年《土地安置（征收）法》第2条要求提交的土地估值报告及适宜性评估文件。1943至1946年间该部门的相关工作记录已归档于本系列档案中的《财产报告》《州土地税估值报告》及查询报告中。1946年，本系列档案被移交至军人安置委员会，由其负责与土地所有者开展协商并签发安置租赁协议。

本次设定的系列档案截止日期约为1970年，这是因为编号序列中的最后一份档案创建于该年份。尽管后续承接机构仍有文件补充至现有档案中，但1970年可视为本系列大部分档案内容的截止节点：最后一处大型军人安置社区的土地收购工作于1961年完成，该计划在1962年已基本宣告结束；而土地安置计划的大部分活动则集中于20世纪60年代及70年代初。并非所有与估值及征收流程相关的档案均得以留存。

### 安置计划背景
1943年12月，维多利亚州通过《土地安置（征收）法》，规定预留王室土地并收购私有土地用于退役军人安置。早在1941年，土地部官员及澳大利亚联邦科学与工业研究组织（"CSIRO"）、农业部的工作人员就已对维多利亚州的王室土地开展战后安置潜力评估。1944至1945年间，土地部勘查人员对维多利亚州全境的农村房产进行正式适宜性勘查，其估值与勘查报告最终在军人安置委员会（SSC）于1946年2月启动工作时移交至该委员会。

1945年《战时服务土地安置（WSLS）协议》（"War Service Land Settlement (WSLS) Agreement"，联邦立法）确立了维多利亚州第二次世界大战后安置计划的大体框架。1945年《军人安置法》（"Soldier Settlement Act 1945"，编号5107）批准了该协议的条款，授权设立军人安置委员会（SSC），并为州级安置计划提供制度框架。1946年12月，维多利亚州通过1946年《军人安置法》（"Soldier Settlement Act 1946"，编号5179），授权委员会为单一单元农场（"Single Unit Farms, SUFs"）提供资金支持。单一单元农场不受《战时服务土地安置协议》条款约束，但申请该农场的安置对象仍需通过初始遴选流程，以获得资格认定与适宜性评级。

1946年2月，委员会开始收购被称为“社区”的地块，随后将其细分为适配不同乡村产业的多种规模的小块土地。地块的初步开发工作由州水利与供水委员会（"VA 723"）与军人安置委员会协商开展。

潜在安置对象可在计划启动后的五年内提交农场申请，同时设立分类委员会以评估申请人的适配性。遴选流程首先为面谈，随后将申请人分为四个等级：
1. 可直接获得农场所有权
2. 需完成短期专业培训后方可获得农场所有权
3. 适合从事农场雇佣工作，但需积累更多经验后方可申请所有权
4. 暂未达到所有权申请标准

评估过程还会考量一些难以量化的特质，例如适配能力、干劲、身体素质与思维敏捷度等。

1947年，首批安置社区对外公示，已完成分类的申请人需针对特定社区的地块提交意向申请。随后，军人安置委员会专属土地委员会将开展第二轮更为细致的面谈。本次评级采用百分制，具体分值分配如下：
- 战时服役经历（20分）
- 农业耕作经验（30分）
- 个人特质（30分）
- 节俭与财务责任感证明（10分）
- 婚姻状况（10分）

同时还会考量其他因素，并要求申请人提供来自乡村产业领域多位人士的个人推荐信。完成评级后，将通过淘汰制筛选出合格申请人，并拟定地块分配方案。军人安置委员会的三名委员将对拟定方案进行审核，最终做出分配决定。

租赁协议采用双层机制，最终可转换为永久业权。临时租赁协议覆盖农场的建设期，最长有效期为七年，安置对象在此期间仅需支付租金。随后转为购买租赁协议，允许安置对象在至少六年的时间内逐步巩固经营，之后方可申请获得农场的永久业权。由于联邦与州政府在土地估值问题上存在分歧，临时租赁协议的签发工作一度延迟。至1950年中期，联邦政府同意为752名临时租赁安置对象提供生活补贴。安置对象在完成初始援助期后，可通过临时租赁协议条款，将部分农场经营所得存入信用账户用于后续付款。

最后一处集体安置社区为靠近科拉克的24块地块沃罗威社区（"Warrowie estate"），该社区于1960年11月30日在《政府公报》上对外公示。直至1970年，最后一名安置对象才获得其购买租赁协议。