A Land Fit for Heroes?

 Rupert Sadler applied for his Advance sometime toward the end of 1919.   His block of 4470 acres was a Homestead Farm No. 1919.8 and was in the Land District of Armidale, Parish of Clifton, County of Clarke.[1] Around 16 January 1920 there were problems with the inspection of the property as ‘three of the five members of the land committee were engaged in farming themselves’. [2] The property had been inspected by 13 March 1920.[3]  

Sadler requested on 14 September 1920 that his Advance money be paid through the government nominee Mr Phillip A. Wright of Wallamambi Station near Armidale, because the contractor had been partially paid and was waiting final settlement.[4] His request was not approved by the Director of Soldier Settlements who stated, ‘I have impressed upon the settler that under no circumstances must he requisition Mr Wright for an inspection until the work has been completed, in view of the fact that Sadler’s holding was a least a day’s journey from Wollombi.[5]  

Conditions on the property appear to have been difficult particularly around June 1923,  due to feed rapidly deteriorating because of a lack of rain and severe winds.  Sadler requested permission to sell some cows purchased out of the original Advance. He asked for the answer to come by telegram ‘as he didn’t wish his business to be discussed by telephone offices along the river’.[6]

 In September 1923, when seeking changes to his current mortgage and repayment terms  he  stated that he had not received a reply to his previous request (about selling his stock)  for three weeks and when he did, the terms outlined for selling were severe.    He wrote, ‘continuous bad seasons, high cost of labour and living have been a great drawback and I may here mention that I have put much more of my own good cash into my property than I borrowed from the Department. [7] By July 1924, Sadler was not living on his holding. Approval was given on 21 July 1924 to accept his offer of £1 a week to reduce his advance liabilities – an arrangement that was to continue  until 24 January 1925. He stated in August 1925, that he could not return to his holding without capital and that he was unable to make his repayments. 

In September 1925, an inspector stated that the settler was not farming at all and there was no stock or farming plant belonging to him on the property. There was a problem about the absent stock, as they had been obtained using the money from the original Advance. The Department of Lands continued to seek the monies owed throughout 1926 and 1927 without success.  There are various letters in the file stating why Sadler couldn’t pay his arrears. Around February 1928, the money owed to the Department was written off – £442.6.10.

 Footnotes

[1] SRNSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6902 No. 3061] Rupert Markham Sadler, Application for loan nd.

[2] Ibid, Armidale and Dumaresq Shire Repatriation Committee to the Director of Soldier Settlements 16 January 1920.

[3] Ibid 13 March 1920.

[4] Ibid, Rupert Sadler to the Director RSS Branch Sydney 14 September 1920.

[5] Ibid, E.P. Fleming to Secretary Local Repatriation Committee 21 September 1920.

[6] Ibid, upert Sadler to the Minister for Lands Sydney 19 June 1923.

[7] Ibid, Rupert Sadler to RSS Branch 2 September 1923.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files;  [12/6902 No. 3061] Rupert Markham Sadler.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Rupert Markham Sadler) online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8074485