A Land Fit for Heroes?

Wheat growing in this district is too precarious and the prices obtained do not pay working expenses

The block Sydney Jenkins purchased consisted of 344 acres.  It was in the County of Hardinge, Parish of Auburn Vale, Inverell Land District and was a part of Hunt’s Soldier Settlement Estate.[1] Jenkins applied for his advance on 9 March 1920 and it was approved on 1 April.[2] Continuous occupation commenced on 15 March 1920.[3] The Inspector reported that Jenkins ‘was batching and living in a very frugal manner’.[4] He was industrious and a satisfactory settler and the fact that he had served as an officer created a favourable impression.[5]

On 27 June 1922, Jenkins was unable meet his payments – the amount overdue £104.4.7.  He said, ‘my last wheat season was a complete failure, my total returns being about £80.[6] On 22 December 1922, The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company agreed to grant him a cash advance of £43 as the value of his wool, which consisted of three bales was valued at £55.  Jenkins then asked the NZL&MA Co to pay A.N. Stirton of Auburn Vale whom Jenkins was in debt to.[7]

He was granted an extension of time to pay until 7 February 1923 and it was hoped that by then, he should have received the proceeds from his harvest.[8] By February 1923 however he was still unable to make his payments.  ‘The past year was almost a complete failure and the returns on my wheat crop and wool clip were insufficient to pay my store and blacksmith’.[9] He applied for a further extension until the following February 1924.  The CP Inspector considered he was a satisfactory case and with ‘one good season and a good price for his wheat will soon get on his feet’.[10]

In March 1924, Jenkins wrote again stating that he was still unable to make any repayments on his land or on his advance, ‘owing to adverse seasons. I have lost all the capital I had when I started here.’[11]

His block was declared forfeited in the NSW Government Gazette on 29 April 1924 because of non-payment of instalments. [12] In October 1925, the CP Inspector after interviewing Jenkins believed that he was in no position to pay back any of his advance debt.[13]

An amount of 188.10.1 was written off by the Auditor General on 28 April 1927.[14]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6985 No. 4090, Application for Loan 9 March 1920.

[2] Ibid,  Application for Advance 1 April 1920.

[3] Ibid, Inspector’s Report 7 December 1920.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid, S.J. Jenkins to the Director of SS 24 June 1922.

[7] Ibid, Manager New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company to the Director of SS 22 December 1922.

[8] Ibid, RSS Branch Office Memorandum 20 July 1922.

[9] Ibid, S.J. Jenkins to the Acting Under Secretary for Lands 19 February 1923.

[10] Ibid, Application for Extension of Time to Pay RSS Branch 28 March 1923.

[11] Ibid, S.J. Jenkins to Under Secretary fro Lands 4 March 1924.

[12] Ibid, NSW Government Gazette 29 April 1924.

[13] Ibid, CP Inspector’s Report October 1925.

[14] Ibid, Under Secretary for Lands to the Auditor General 28 April 1927.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6985 No. 4090] Sydney James Jenkins.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Sydney James Jenkins) online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=7360607&I=1&SE=1]