A Land Fit for Heroes?

 Charles Brewer’s holding consisted of approximately 1522 acres – CP 1893.20, CL 24883, CL 1909.7, ACP 1905.4, CL 1905.3, ACP 1909.9.  The holding was considered to be a Home Maintenance area and was in the County of Cunningham, Parish of Bimbella, Condobolin Land District.  It had an estimated market value of 25/- per acre.[1]  His loan was approved 25 Jun 1921 and he took up residence on 11 May 1921.[2]

Brewer as a holder of lands under the provisions of the Closer Settlement Promotion Scheme was entitled to half concession rates for the conveyance of one grain fertilizer drill from Sydney to Condobolin.[3]

The Returned Soldiers’ Settlement Branch wanted to have all his land as security for a mortgage to the Department of Lands. [4]  Brewer believed however, that only the CP (Conditional Purchase) and CL (Conditional Leases) should be held as security and not the SP (Settlement Purchase) which was obtained later in the year.   The Under-Secretary believed that as the Settlement Purchase was not big enough by itself to be a home maintenance area it was not big enough by itself, to be held as security for a Common Law Mortgage. [5]

Brewer requested and was given approval to consolidate his advance permitting him to make repayments up to a maximum of 25 years.[6]  The Security over Class “B” advance which included Stock and Implements was to be discharged so that he was now free to deal with this himself.[7]

Brewer set out to negotiate transfer of his property to a civilian for which approval had to be undertaken.[8]  It appears that this transfer may not have gone ahead. Brewer repaid his advance on 24 November 1925.[9]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/7241 No. 7362], Application for Loan 9 April 1921.

[2] Ibid, Inspection of holding 13 June 1923.

[3] Ibid, NSW Government Railways Declaration by George Virtue 7 April 1922.

[4] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 11 July 1922.

[5] Ibid, 11 September 1922.

[6] Ibid, Under Secretary to District Surveyor Forbes 17 October 1925.

[7] Ibid, Department of Lands, RSS Branch 8 June 1926.

[8] Ibid, Department of Lands Memorandum 4 June 1926.

[9] Ibid, A.A. Watson Director of SS to District Surveyor Forbes 14 March 1927.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/7241 No. 7362], Charles Harold Brewer.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Charles Harold Brewer) online:  http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3118032