A Land Fit for Heroes?

I have tried as hard as anyone

 Laurence Dinnerville’s block consisted of 180 acres and was in the County of Bathurst, Parish of Shadforth, Orange Land District.[1] His address was Shottery Farm, Shadforth Via Orange, NSW.

Dinnerville wrote complaining about the delay in receiving his advance, as the builder of his house was waiting on payment. The builder ‘who was not in a big way had already laid out all his cash’.[2] Dinnerville was also unhappy about having to insure the house, ‘I have not got the money to do it just yet’.[3] After a further £50 was granted to him to build an extension to another room of the house, the contractor was again waiting payment. [4]

Money was also owed to the local grain merchant. This condition of debt and dependency was by no means uncommon in rural NSW.  With Dinnervale’s account twelve months overdue, Martin Bros, Grain and Produce Merchants wrote to the Director of the RSS Branch on 11 November 1921, stated, that if the accounts were not settled without delay, ‘notice would be made to the Minister for Repatriation’.[5]

An Inspector recommended that Dinnerville be given an extension of time to pay his arrears as he was a desirable type of settler who works hard on his farm and who was doing his best to make a success of it although his returns were small. [6]

Dinnerville was granted an extension of time to meet outstanding arrears until the end of February 1924, although wrote on 9 May, that he was unable to pay his arrears, ‘I have tried as hard as anyone’.[7] By 25 November 1925, the Inspector reported that he was hopelessly in debt with no hope of getting out of it.[8] Dinnerville was maintaining himself by carting and selling wood.  Around this date he had leased 10 acres of his land at 10/- per acres to a Mr. T. Taylor, with another seven acres of potatoes in a share harm arrangement with a W. Rosser.  Dinnerville had planted 22 acres of peas himself.[9] By May 1925, as Dinnerville was working in Canberra, it was suggested that the holding be forfeited and the loan called up at once.[10] Dinnerville was employed as a carpenter’s labourer working on Parliament House.[11]

Dinnerville’s holding was forfeited on 3 July 1925. [12] He was at this date in a share farm agreement with a G.L. Ash, who was allowed to retain two-thirds of the proceeds from the crop with the balance to be used to reduce Dinnerville’s debt.[13]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6944 No. 3568],  Application for Loan 30 January 1920.

[2] Ibid,  Laurence Dinnerville to ??  28 April 1920.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid, Laurence Dinnerville to ?? 9 August 1920.

[5] Ibid, M.P. Martin to The Director of RSS Branch 11 November 1921.

[6] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum nd.

[7] Ibid, L. Dinnerville to ?? 9 May 1924.

[8] Ibid, Inspector McInerney to The District Surveyor Orange 20 November 1924.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid, District Surveyor to the Under Secretary for Lands 22 May 1925.

[11] Ibid, Police Report to Department of Lands 25 September 1925.

[12] Ibid, Department of Lands Memorandum 12 January 1926.

[13] Ibid.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6944 No. 3568] Lawrence or Laurence Dinnerville.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Lawrence or Laurence Dinnerville) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=3507950&I=1&SE=1