CAMERON, Elizabeth
Wife of Charles McDonald Cameron, Elizabeth struggled to run the property when her husband became ill.
Below is a digisited copy of a letter (plus transcript) she wrote to the New South Wales branch of the Returned Sailors’ & Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia.
The letter is from NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Settlement loan files.
Click the images to view larger versions.
Letter from Elizabeth Cameron
Transcript of Letter
[1]
Settlement Purchase 8441/28
? 1920-15-Narabri
Stonybrook
Maules Creek
Boggabri
23, September, 29
Dear Sir,
My husband regrets not
being able to forward £50 as
he promised to do during Sept.
As you know the market
for fat? sheep has been very
poor in fact one cannot sell
at all in this district.
However the sheep are shorn
and he hopes to forward the
money before or about November.
My husband has been very
ill for 6 months, he is still
[2]
lying in bed, his heart is
in a bad state & to lift
or move the smallest thing may
prove fatal – with rest they
say he will get stronger & he
has improved lately.
These properties will not permit
of ones employing labour
& although I am very tired I
am trying to keep the
place going until he is
able to get about, for the
children’s sake. They say
children are Australia’s
greatest asset, but on a
small farm burdened with
debt there is very little future
[3]
for mine.
It was to my mind a cruel
thing to give a man a block
of land without water.
The previous seller of course
knew & sold to us while
the creek was running &
there was plenty of surface
water in the well. My
husband pulled water for stock
& drive them miles out to
an old well on the forest
reserve, he even took part of
the washing out & he did
that for 3 years. It was
easy for a man to site in
an office & say “Get a bore”
[4]
when to do so wd cost about
£300 to fetch the plains? here.
As soon as it came to the
district we got one. We have
paid now £80 eighty pounds off
that debt, as well as what it
cost for bringing it etc.
We have beautiful ? &
having got rid of rabbits, we
could carry more sheep if
we had the money to buy
now. If you would be kind
enough to let us know
exactly how we stand &
exactly what is owing to the Dept.
[5]
I should be obliged. We
have stock I think sufficient
to cover loan, there must be
200 lambs about 800 sheep
altogether, We do not want
to leave the place, as I
am sure we can get on
espacially id wool rises again.
We manage to keep out of
debt to any person other than
the Dept but it is a struggle
& gives one only the basic
living.
Yours faithfully
Elizabeth Cameron
W.J Roper Esq.
Under Secretary of lands
Sydney
Letter by W.J Stagg (State Sectrary of the RSSILA) to the Under Secretary, Department of Lands regarding Elizabeth Cameron’s situation
Click the images below to read the letter.
