NAME Edward Rueben Wright
BORN Young 1882
DIED Young 1939
MILITARY SERIAL NO. 7088
UNIT 2nd Battalion
ENLISTED Cootamundra 4 August 1916
DISCHARGED Sydney 28 July 1919

Edward Rueben Wright applied for his Advance early in March 1920 and it was approved by 29 March 1920.[1] His block was No. 229 on Maimaru Soldier Settlement in the Young Land District.

In August 1921, Wright’s conduct was judged to be doubtful by the Inspector of Soldier Settlements.  He had purchase a sulky and harness out of his Advance money, but these could not be found on his block where they should have been and were located at his parent’s place.[2]  He was not on his block at the time of inspection nor was he assisting ‘the party engaged in planting’ on his block.[3] It was thought by the Inspector that Wright’s occupation of the holding was keeping another good man off the block.[4]

Rueben wrote on 12 September 1921, admitting he had been absent from his block but believed that ‘as the block was quite clean that it was alright to work elsewhere’.[5] He said, ‘I will be very sorry if you cancel it on me’.[6]

By November 1921, he was instructed to work the block and was given two weeks to do so.[7] This he failed to do and in June 1922, details of his whereabouts were requested so that he could be made to settle his liabilities.[8]

In May 1925, his frequent absences from the block brought about the judgement that he was an unsatisfactory settler. The Inspector stated ‘he was only working in a casual manner when necessity obliges him to do so.[9] An amount of £119.18.8 was written off in May 1925.[10]

Footnotes

[1]  SRNSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6986 No. 4110] Edward Rueben Wright, Application for an Advance 26 March 1920.

[2] Ibid,  RSS Branch Memorandum 15 August 1921.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid, E.R. Wright to Director of SS 12 September 1921.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid, RSS Branch Memorandum 13 October 1921.

[8] Ibid, 3 June 1922.

[9] Ibid, Report from Under Secretary for Lands, November 1925.

[10] Ibid, Memorandum from the Auditor General to the Under Secretary for Lands 29 May 1925.

Sources used to compile this entry:

State Records NSW: Lands Department; NRS 8058, Returned Soldiers loan files; [12/6986 No. 4110] Edward Rueben Wright.

National Archives of Australia: B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers,  Edward Rueben Wright online: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3447428