A Land Fit for Heroes?

 Paul Maunder’s block Portion 20, on Bective Soldier Settlement consisting of 276 acres, was in the Parish of Tangaratta, County of Parry, Tamworth Land District.[1]  His advance was approved 28 April 1920.[2]

Maunder took up the farm before 19 March 1920 and was very anxious to have use of the £625 loan quickly so that he could sow his seed wheat in April.  The Secretary of the Peel Shire Repatriation Committee requested that Maunder have access to the loan money before the purchase of his block was completed.[3] An Inspector’s report of 27 June 1922 stated that although not in residence, he was a good settler who was making satisfactory progress.  Maunder was working his property during the day and returning to his father’s property at night.[4]

Maunder married in 1926.   The property was leased for £130 per annum to his brother-in-law W. Newcombe who had resided there since February 1924 and was still living there in 1926 with his wife and children.[5] Even though Maunder had not been seen by any member of the Department of Lands for five years – despite the District Surveyor making numerous visits to the block – it was thought he was still living in the district.[6]  By July 1925, there were numerous demands by the accountant to Maunder to repay his arrears and in March was given 28 days to do this.[7]

Sometime in 1925, Maunder was reported as working splitting posts working for a Mr. C. Abre, about 7 – 8 miles out of Attunga.[8]  Because of non-residence and the lack of improvements effected it was recommended that the Settlement Purchase be forfeited that the advance be made repayable in full with interest and the District Surveyor be authorised to take over and dispose of advance assets. [9]

On 9 October 1925, Maunder wrote to his local Member of Parliament objecting to being forced to forfeit. 

I have had bad seasons ever since I’ve been there, and I have had to go out to work to earn enough money to keep going on.  I do not want to lose that piece of land’.[10]

In December of 1926, Maunder was living with his father.  The Police reported that he had not been at Bective for over twelve months.[11]  Furthermore, the District Surveyor believed he may not have been in residence for as much as five years.[12] By 3 July 1928, Maunder had one child.[13] By September he was still unable to make his repayments and was running a small business repairing cars and bicycles at Werris Creek hoping his situation would improve.  He did have some fortune as his repayments were deferred for a period of six months.[14] By 1929 however, the garage where he was working was closed and his whereabouts were unknown.[15]

On 7 January 1920, as Maunder could not be classed as a bona fide settler, ‘it was agreed between the Auditor General and the Colonial Treasurer that an amount of £76.9.3 be written off. [16]

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files, [12/6986 No. 4108] Paul Maunder, W.G. Garland Report 27 June 1922.

[2] Ibid, Report 7 January 1930.

[3] Ibid, C.W. Edwards, Peel Shire Repatriation Committee The Director of RSS Branch 19 March 1920.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid, District Surveyor Memorandum 17 May 1925.

[6] Ibid, Ibid.

[7] Ibid, Soldiers’ Forfeiture Abt. July 1925.

[8] Ibid, District Surveyor Memorandum 17 May 1925

[9] Ibid, Soldiers’ Forfeiture 17 September 1925.

[10] Ibid, Paul Maunder to Hon. Member 9 October 1925.

[11] Ibid, Thomas Vidler Police Sergeant Tamworth 13 December 1926

[12] Ibid, A.J. Ryan District Surveyor to Under Secretary for Lands 9 November 1927.

[13] Ibid, Under Secretary for Lands Report 3 July 1928.

[14] Ibid, Report 5 September 1928.

[15] Ibid, A.J. Ryan District Surveyor to the Under Secretary for Lands 26 June 1929.

[16] Ibid, J. Birrell Report 7 January 1930.

State Records NSW:   Lands Department;  NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6986 No. 4108] Paul Maunder.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Paul Maunder) online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=8215824