A Land Fit for Heroes?

Two brothers William John Kendall and Gerald Bernard Kendall had adjoining farms, both Settlement Purchases No. 1921/6 and 1921/7 respectively located about six miles from Harden.  The properties were in the Land District of Boorowa.

Gerald Kendall and his brother applied for an advance to net their common boundary.  This was initially refused because their joint holdings were already enclosed with a netting fence and the cultivation similarly netted off. [1] They applied again stating that fencing of this sort was the only thing that would save their labours from the rabbits.  While additional finance was not given, they did receive approval for terms of their original advance to be varied to cover the cost of additional netting.[2]

The brothers were judged good settlers, although by 1931 Gerald Kendall’s repayments were in arrears.[3] There is nothing to indicate if Walter was also in arrears. By March Gerald’s arrears amounted to £567.1.10.[4] At this date he also held another 846 acres of freehold land which was mortgaged to the extent of £7,000 and he was running 2,500 sheep on the two properties.[5]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files;  [12/7299 No 8350], RSS Branch Office Memorandum 14 August 1924.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid, Acting District Surveyor to Under Secretary for Lands 28 October 1931.

[4] Ibid, RSS Branch Report 22 March 1932.

[5] Ibid, RSS Branch 22 March 1932.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files;  [12/7299 No 8350] Gerald Bernard Kendall.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Gerald Bernard Kendall0 online: http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/imagine.asp?B=7364475&I=1&SE=1