A Land Fit for Heroes?

 Herbert Crossley took up his soldier settlement block of 526 acres in April 1920.[1] The land was in the County of Bland, Parish of Bundawarrah in the Temora Land District.[2]  The property, a Settlement Purchase No. 1920/12, was named Garawan and was located at Stockingbingal midway between Cootamundra and Temora.  

 The file begins around 1930.  A report written by the Returned Soldiers Settlement Branch on 19 February 1930 stated that Crossley had 578 ½ bushels of wheat to sell.[3]  Crossley however, asked that some consideration be shown to him in respect of the lien that he was required to give the Department of Lands.  He felt that agreeing to the lien would be difficult for him, as he had private debts to one local storekeeper as well as owing £340 to another for fertiliser.[4]  Despite his debts Crossly was judged to be a good reliable farmer even though at this date his arrears amounted to £944.1.4.[5]  He sought approval from the RSS Branch for the arrears to be deferred. He was informed that approval would only be given if he planted crops in another area of 320 acres and he executed the lien previously asked for.

 In February 1931, Crossley asked that the Department’s claim for this lien, which amounted to one-third of his wheat crop, be reduced due to the low prices being offered for wheat.  A portion of his crop was second grade, he said.[6]  At this date a second lien was waived, but only if the first one was executed.[7]

 Again in 1932, the deferment of arrears was dependent on the executing of a lien over the 1932/33 crop.[8] Crossley however, was in trouble with the Department as he sold wheat and oats without permission to A.W. Derrick of Springdale when he should have executed the one-third lien to the Department on these crops.  He believed mistakenly that as the crop was a poor one, that the Department would not make a claim on it.[9]  Both Derrick and Crossley were censured although no direct action was taken against them.[10] 

 In September 1933, Crossley was again allowed to defer his repayments, but only if the liens on his previous crops and the upcoming one in 1933/34 were executed.[11]

 Sometime in 1935, Crossley was making enquiries about transferring his settlement purchase and the transferring of that debt to the purchaser.  The Under Secretary replied that in each case, this was dependent on the ability of the purchaser to pay.[12]

 Toward the end of 1935, two local farmers from Temora, Franz Adreas Krebs and Douglas Krebs, who were not returned soldiers, requested that the property be transferred to them.[13]  In November Crossley when writing to the Minister for Lands said,

 I am in a hopeless financial position, utterly without hope of anytime owning this farm. As well as struggling with the depression, I have had tremendous stock losses … I have lost three working horses … it is quite hopeless for me to try and carry on.[14]

 Crossley had repaid his advance in full and had no land arrears by 31 May 1937. [15]  It can be assumed that the sale of the property to the brothers Krebs, allowed him the money to clear his debts.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Loan Files; [12/6986 No. 4103], Herbert Elsworthy Crossley,  Inspection of Returned Soldiers’ Holdings 2 September 1931.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid, Returned Soldiers’ Settlement Branch Report 19 February 1930.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid, 3 February 1931.

[7] Ibid, Acting Chief Clerk, 4 February 1931.

[8] Ibid, RSS Branch Report, 12 January 1932.

[9] Ibid, A.J. White Securities 27 September 1932.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid, Department of Lands to H.E. Crossley 29 September 1933.

[12] Ibid, G.F. Allman to H. Crossley 29 March 1935.

[13] Ibid, Declaration by proposed Transferee  11 October 1935.

[14] Ibid, H. Crossley to the Under Secretary for Lands 18 November 1935.

[15] Ibid,  Department of Lands Memorandum 31 May 1937.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers Loan files; [12/6986 No. 4103] Herbert Elsworthy Crossley.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, (Herbert Elsworthy Crossley) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3469997&I=1&SE=1