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Series VPRS
5714
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Closer [and Soldier] Settlement Files
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| Date Range: |
Series |
? 1898 - ? 1960 |
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Series in Custody |
1898 - 1960 |
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Contents |
1898 - 1960 |
| Public Access: |
Part Open |
| Location: |
North Melbourne |
| Format of Records: |
Physical |
  | Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series |
Date Range
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Agency Title
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Agency Number
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| 1898 - 1905 |
Department of Crown Lands and Survey |
VA 538 |
| 1905 - 1933 |
Closer Settlement Board (previously known as Lands Purchase and Management Board 1905-1918) |
VA 2266 |
| 1933 - 1938 |
Closer Settlement Commission |
VA 2268 |
| 1938 - 1960 |
Department of Crown Lands and Survey |
VA 538 |
| Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series |
| Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series |
- How to use the Records
The key to locating a particular file is the file number. A file number may be obtained from:
- parish plans
- VPRS 7311 Microfiche Catalogue to Crown Lands and Survey Files (File type Order)
- VPRS 7312 Microfiche Catalogue to Crown Lands and Survey Files (Parish Order)
Computer Printout (Parish Order) to VPRS 5714
STEP 1 Deciding whether you want an Estate file or a Selection file
There are two major types of file in this series: the estate file and the selection file. The estate file is the record of the repurchase of land by the Government. The file is normally arranged in two parts: the survey file and the purchase file. The selection file is the record of the purchase of an allotment by a settler. If you are after a selection file follow steps 2 to 4 below. If you require an estate file see step 5 below.
STEP 2 Identifying the file number
If you know exactly which allotment within a parish you are interested in you can most easily obtain a file number by getting a copy of the parish plan. Microfiche copies of parish plans are available at the Central Plan Office, Treasury Place, Melbourne and at the PRO City Search Room. A parish is an area of land which is divided into sections and allotments. The parish plan is the map of the distribution of the allotments in the parish. For each allotment the allotment number, the area, the name of the grantee, the date of grant and the file number is recorded. To locate the file number, identify the allotment which you are interested in and note the file number recorded.
STEP 3 Identifying which unit of VPRS 5714 your file is in
Once you have identified your file number from the parish plan refer to VPRS 7311 Microfiche Catalogue to Crown Lands and Survey Files (File type Order) and select the fiche from the Numerical file listing which covers the file number you are looking for. File numbers are made up of a fraction style number. The top number in the fraction is the sequential file number allocated to that application, shown as serial on the microfiche catalogue. The bottom number is the section of the act under which the land was selected, shown as category on the microfiche catalogue.
The range of file numbers covered on each fiche are noted on right hand side of the header to the fiche, with the category part of the file number written first. Once you have identified which fiche to look at scan that fiche until you find the section which lists the file numbers you are after. The file numbers are listed in file number order on the fiche, primarily by category and then within each category listing, in serial number order.
If you locate the item you are looking for on the fiche take down the Series and Box (unit) number reference listed in the far right hand column of the fiche. This is VPRS number, which should be 5714 and the unit number of this series which you should then request from the Repository. The "item" number listed in the next right hand column is a computer allocated number which indicates the position of the item within the unit at the time the records were re-processed. This may no longer apply if the records have not been put back exactly as they were found after use in the Search Room.
Step 4 Using VPRS 7312 when you haven't got the parish plan
If you know which parish but have no idea of the allotment or don't have a copy of the parish plan you can scan VPRS 7312 Microfiche Catalogue to Crown Lands and Survey Files (Parish Order) which is available in both the Laverton and City Search Rooms. Select the fiche which covers the parish you are interested in and look for the closer settlement/soldier settlement files listed. These can most easily be identified by the series number they are located in, which is VPRS 5714. File types for closer/soldier settlement files are most often sections 86 or 86.6, 113, 12, 27.
If you locate the item you are looking for on the fiche take down the Series and Box (unit) number reference listed in the far right hand column of the fiche. This is VPRS number, which should be 5714 and the unit number of this series which you should then request from the Repository. The "item" number listed in the next right hand column is a computer allocated number which indicates the position of the item within the unit at the time the records were re-processed. This may no longer apply if the records have not been put back exactly as they were found after use in the Search Room.
Step 4 Using the Computer Printout to VPRS 5714
A computer printout listing files in VPRS 5714 in parish order which is located in the Laverton Search Room only. Though this printout lists all the files in VPRS 5714 alphabetically by parish, the order in which the files have been listed within each parish grouping is not apparent and therefore the whole listing for each parish needs to be scanned to identify if a file exists in VPRS 5714.
Use this list to identify which Estate files exist for the parish you are interested in. If you are interested in identifying all the Estate files which exist in VPRS 5714 refer to the Alphabetical file listing section of VPRS 7311 Microfiche Catalogue to Crown Lands and Survey Files (File type Order) where Estate files are listed in unit number order.
Selection files should be more easily located using VPRS 7312 Microfiche Catalogue to Crown Lands and Survey Files (Parish Order) if the parish plan is not available.
- Function / Content
This series comprises files relating to closer and soldier settlement schemes.
Background
Part III of the Land Act 1898 introduced a system by which the government was able to repurchase land for closer settlement. The object of this and subsequent legislation was to transform large estates into closely settled communities engaged in agriculture. The repurchased land was made available as farm allotments, agricultural labourers' allotments and workmen's home allotments to suitable applicants under the terms of conditional purchase leases. Certain residence and improvements conditions applied, initially for the first six years, after which time lessees were at liberty to mortgage, transfer or sub-let with consent and, on payment of the balance of the purchase money, to obtain a Crown Grant. Subsequently lessees were also eligible to apply for advances to assist them to erect dwellings and outbuildings and for other approved purposes.
Land was allocated to applicants under conditional purchase leases which required lessees to fence the land, to destroy vermin and noxious weeds and to make other improvements. The leases were granted subject to residence requirements and lessees of agricultural labourers' allotments and workmen's home allotments were required to erect a dwelling within one year. The government also made financial advances to lessees to assist them to fence their land and to build the required dwellings.
In 1917 under the provisions of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act the government undertook the settlement of discharged soldiers on lands set aside exclusively for them as a reward for their war service. Special conditions such as low interest finance and no repayments for the first 3 years on 36 year purchase leases were introduced for the settlement of discharged soldiers.
From 1922 assisted British immigrants were settled on the land as part of the Closer Settlement schemes.
In 1938 further legislation was introduced to make similar provision for the settlement of discharged soldiers from World War II.
Contents: Estate Files, Survey and Purchase
There are two major types of file in this series: the estate file and the selection file. The estate file is the record of the repurchase of land. The file is normally arranged in two parts: the survey file and the purchase file. The survey file contains plans of the land to be recommended for purchase, valuations of the land and improvements, details of proposed subdivisions, the recommendations of the Closer Settlement Board on the purchase and correspondence with the Surveyor General, the valuer, the Shire and others.
The purchase file is used in conjunction with the survey file. The purchase file is mainly a correspondence file containing correspondence between the Closer Settlement Office and the land holders, the valuer, the Shire prospective settlers, and others whose opinion or action is necessary for the purchase of the land. The file also contains descriptions and plans, file notes and instructions. The facing page is the "straight out offer of land". This page records the details of the offer; the details of the land, the decision of the Board and the final result; whether purchased or not.
Contents: Selection Files
The selection file is the record of the purchase of an allotment by a settler. Closer settlement and soldier settlement land was obtained by purchase lease agreements. The settler leased and farmed the allotment while purchasing the land from the Crown. When the full purchase price was paid, title to the land was transferred from the Crown to the settler and the file closed. Included in a selection file is the application to purchase lease the land, lease details including payment receipts, correspondence and instalment accounts, general correspondence regarding the allotment and the lease, land inspection reports and purchase arrangements. An insurance file is included with the selection file. Insurance was held on the dwelling, outbuildings and fencing while the purchase lease agreement was current.
Closer and Soldier Settlement Acts and Section Numbers
Freeholding of land re-purchased for Closer and Soldier Settlement under Part III, Land Act1898, later embodied in Closer Settlement Acts 1904, 1915, 1928, 1938.
Farm, Workmen's Homes and Agricultural Labourer's Allotments
File Category
C.S. Act 1915 86
C.S. Act 1928 113
C.S. Act 1938 12 or 27
The addition of 6 to the denominator of the correspondence number signifies that the original lease was issued to a discharged soldier of 1914-1918 War. The addition of 206 has a similar meaning.
Sales for churches, public halls etc..
C.S. Act 1915 93
C.S. Act 1928 128
C.S. Act 1938 26
- Recordkeeping System
The original order of the closer settlement files was not apparent at the time of transfer of the records to archival custody. The Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands instituted a project to identify and process these files prior to transfer to the Public Record Office. This was done by preparing a computer input sheet describing the contents of each archive box. This information was then fed into a computer and an output was produced in two formats; one, being a listing in unit (box) number order and the second, a listing according to parish.
Each list provides descriptive information that identifies a particular file. The information provided on each printout is:
Printout 1: Listing in Unit Number Order
- Series Number (VPRS);
- Box Number;
- Item Number in Box;
- File Category (the section of the Land Act or a descriptive title eg. 12,86.6, Estates....);
- Serial Number (the serial number within the file category);
- Date Range;
- Parish name;
- Parish code;
- Allotment number;
- Area;
- Land district.
Printout 2: Listing in parish order
The parish name and code head the page, a new parish begins a new page;
- Series number (VPRS);
- Box number;
- Item number in box ;
- File category;
- Serial number;
- Date range;
- Allotment number;
- Area;
- Land District.
| More research resourcesMore research resources |
| Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers |
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Date Range
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Series Title
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Series Number
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| 1898 - 1919 |
Register of Inwards Correspondence, Settlement on Lands Act 1893 and Land Act 1898, Numerical System |
VPRS 14105 |
| 1898 - 1960 |
Catalogue of Crown Lands and Survey Files: File Number Order (Microfiche) |
VPRS 7311 |
| 1898 - 1960 |
Catalogue of Crown Lands and Survey Files: Parish/Town Order (Microfiche) |
VPRS 7312 |
| By 1912 - ? 1912 |
Register of Inward Correspondence, Closer Settlement |
VPRS 14321 |
| Controlled SeriesControlled Series |
| Previous SeriesPrevious Series |
| Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series |
| List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series |
| Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers |
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Date Range
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Series Title
|
Series Number
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| 1898 - 1919 |
Register of Inwards Correspondence, Settlement on Lands Act 1893 and Land Act 1898, Numerical System |
VPRS 14105 |
| 1898 - 1960 |
Catalogue of Crown Lands and Survey Files: File Number Order (Microfiche) |
VPRS 7311 |
| 1898 - 1960 |
Catalogue of Crown Lands and Survey Files: Parish/Town Order (Microfiche) |
VPRS 7312 |
| By 1912 - ? 1912 |
Register of Inward Correspondence, Closer Settlement |
VPRS 14321 |
| More research resourcesMore research resources |
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