A Land Fit for Heroes?

Charles Oscar Scott took up a Settlement Purchase No. 1922.27 which was a part of Bective Soldier Settlement Estate located in the County of Parry, Parish of Somerton, Land District of Tamworth.  Scott applied for an Advance of £500 with the schedule of stock and plant approved on 3 February 1919. Continuous residence began on 1 February 1919.[1]

 On 17 March 1919, it was suggested that the Department put down and equip bores outside of the £500 Advance although there was nothing definite about this proposal.  Sometime around 8 July 1919, Scott also applied to have £330 allotted toward a house.[2]  Two bores were dug – one of 196 ft and another of 83 ft before water was eventually obtained on the second.   It seems that many of the blocks on Bective were ‘dry blocks’ and Scott’s was one of these.[3]

 Despite the statement that the payment of bores was to be outside of the Advance on 19 August 1919, there was still discussion about this. [4]  By 28 October 1919, the cost of Scott’s bore was added to the capital value of his farm.[5]  The bore was bringing in 300 gallons an hour initially, but in November 1919, supply started to dwindle to only 100 gallons per day.  It was decided because of this to increase the bore by 50 feet to 170 feet in depth but this was without result. Consequently, the very viability of continuous boring was questioned.  The previous owner had requested that bores not be dug to more than a depth of 120 feet.  Satisfactory bores had however been dug in nearby areas, ‘by two experienced farmers’ of a depth up to 300 and 290 feet.[6]   Approval was given to Scott to deepen his own bore on 23 July 1920.[7]

 Scott contact the Under-Secretary for Lands on 26 March 1929 requesting that ‘his loan and interest be put onto the end of his term or waived as he would then have a reasonable chance of meeting his obligations’.[8] An extension of time was granted until 31 January 1929.[9] Nearly a year later on 21 January 1930, Scott again asked for an extension of time ‘due to a prolonged drought.  I have been unable to sell any sheep for some considerable time in order to meet these payments, and I have had to shift them all away eighty miles on agistment’.[10] In January, 1930, Scott was judged to be ‘a good farmer and a successful settler’[11] However, he continued to have difficulties making his repayments which were allowed to stand over until 31 January 1931.    The file ends with nothing to indicate what the end of his story was.

Footnotes

[1] SRNSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files;  [12/6851 No. 1145] Charles Oscar Scott, Inspection 6 June 1923.   

[2] Ibid, 8 July 1919.

[3] Ibid, E.W. Edwards, Peel Shire Repatriation Committee to the Director of Soldier Settlements, 29 August 1919.

[4] Ibid, J.G. Bryant to Peel Repatriation Committee, 19 August 1919.

[5] Ibid, Ibid, 28 October 1919.

[6] Ibid, Peel Repatriation Committee to RSS Branch 16 July 1920.

[7] Ibid, 23 July 1920.

[8] Ibid, Charles Scott to the Under-secretary 26 March 1928.

[9] Ibid, RSS Memorandum 31 January 1929.

[10] Ibid, Charles Scott to the Undersecretary 21 January 1930.

[11] Ibid, Inspection 17 January 1930.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW:  Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6851 No. 1145] Charles Oscar Scott.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers (Charles Oscar Scott) online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3002757