1946; Soldier Settlement in Tasmania - 1946, the Tasmanian Closer Settlement process begins, livestock scarce

1946: Soldier Settlement in Tasmania © Peter Mulcahy 2006

I am indebted to the late Edward, ' Ted', Nicholson Milne, who had been a company secretary before World War II, and had very neatly and precisely put together a collection of paperwork relating to settlement at Lawrenny. This paperwork formed the basis of a Supreme Court case brought by the settlers, in 1952, against the Attorney General of Tasmania, The Closer Settlement Board, The Minister for Agriculture, and the Director of Land Settlement for the State of Tasmania.

Much of this information comes from newspaper clippings and government documents, as acknowledged.

20/01/1946 Rural training for ex-servicemen "The Mercury"

Training centres are being established in each State to ensure that applicants for land under the war services land settlement scheme are properly trained before they undertake management of their properties. Refresher courses will also be provided for ex-service men and women who have already

been on the land. A training course for instructors in rural training was held recently in NSW. It was attended by men from all States who will return to conduct courses for trainees at various centres

30/01/1946 Federal Governments comprehensive plans "The Mercury"

To enable ex-servicemen who are settling on the land or taking up an agricultural career to become proficient before taking on their own responsibilities, the Commonwealth Government has introduced a scheme of rural training. Among the types of training given according to circumstances are university or college courses for Degrees or Diplomas in agriculture, a short refresher courseat the Cressy Research Farm, and also a correspondence course.

Ex-service personnel who are selected under the war service land settlement scheme are given such rural training as is deemed necessary by the State Closer Settlement Board. In addition ex-servicemen who are not applying for land settlement, but are making their own arrangements for settling themselves on the land will be given training along the same lines under the Commonwealth reconstruction training scheme. The training to which such men are entitled is a period from six months to two years maximum (according to previous experience) on a farm approved by the Dept. of Agriculture and/or a refresher course of approximately eight weeks duration at the Cressy Research Farm.

Those who wish to take up farming on their own account, or who wish to attend a university or agricultural college, can only be classified as eligible provided they come under one of several categories of eligibility under the Commonwealth scheme, the following of which are the main:

If they were under 21 years of age at enlistment
If, for one of many reasons, they have been prevented on account of war service from following their prewar occupation even though they were over 21 years of age at enlistment.

After an applicant is has been classified as eligible the question of his suitability and the type and duration of the training required is then determined by the Deputy Co-coordinator of Rural Training.Training for all of the above mentioned is termed "full time" training, even though a trainee may be taking only a portion of the course by arrangement with the Deputy Co-coordinator.

Practical Training in Farming.

At present there are a large number of farmers ready to take trainees for their practical training.

As soon as trainees become available they will be absorbed, and it is anticipated that before long it may be necessary to increase the number of approved farms in order to cope with the applicants.

The greatest demand for farms will be for instruction in dairying, as a large portion of the land settlement areas will be suitable for this type of production. While undergoing training on farms, trainees will be treated as apprentices. They will do their normal share of farm work, but at the same time will receive instruction in buying and selling and farm management. Many men who have previous experience on farms have not been associated with the actual management side, and special attention will therefore be given to this side of the training. The refresher course . . . at the Cressy Research Farm will cover the principles of the production and management of stock and crops.

Accommodation will be available for 50 students at a time.

In addition to permanent instructors, technical officers of the Dept. of Agriculture will lecture in their specialized subjects and practical instruction will be given in blacksmithing, tinsmithing, farm carpentry and painting, and machinery.

While ex-servicemen are undergoing their training, a living allowance of £ 3/15/0 a week, plus board and lodging, is paid by the Commonwealth Government.

When trainees are employed on farms, the board is provided by the farmer, who also contributes to the cash payment in proportion to the trainee's experience, on a sliding scale, which has been notified to all farmers concerned. On completion of training district agricultural officers of the Dept. of Agriculture will keep in close touch with previous trainees to render them every assistance in the management of their own holding.

The objective of the whole training scheme is to ensure that men settling on the land are thoroughly conversant with all aspects of farming. Many men are comparatively well experienced in farm work, but have not had the opportunity of studying farming from the management angle, which is all important at the present time.

19/02/1946 Loans to ex-Soldiers going on the land. "The Mercury"

Loans up to £ 1,000 are available through the Agricultural Bank for certain classes of ex-servicemen who desire to establish or re-establish themselves in prescribed rural occupations.

Announcing this yesterday, the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Madden) said: "Ex-servicemen of the 1939-45 war are eligible for this type of financial assistance provided they comply with certain conditions. The most important qualification is that the applicant must have had executive or managerial experience in a similar rural occupation before his enlistment, either as an owner, partner, overseer or share farmer. Another essential provision is that the project for which the ex-serviceman desires the advance must present reasonable prospects

of success. This aspect is of more importance than the value of the security offered for the loan.

The first £ 50 of the loan is free of interest, the next £ 200 is at 2 pc and any amount in excess of £ 250 up to £ 1,000 costs 3.75pc. The bank fixes the term or period of the repayment, the maximum period being 30 years. The Agricultural Bank is acting as agent for the Commonwealth in these £ 1,000 loans, and is making available up to 70pc of the valuation of farms ex-servicemen desire to purchase. The applicant is then expected to invest his own funds in the purchase of his equity in the farm, while for stock, equipment, and other operational expenses, he is able to borrow up to £ 1,000."

20/03/1946 Ready made farms for servicemen. "The Mercury"

It is not intended to place ex-servicemen on the land until blocks are sufficiently developed and improved, with house and necessary farm buildings, to such a minimum standard that the settler immediately can begin to earn a living. This was stated by the Attorney General in the Legislative Council last night. . . . Since legislation approving the

agreement between the Commonwealth and State, relating to soldier settlement, was enacted in December last,53 properties have been purchased or are in the process of being acquired by the Government. . . . The Minister said the area of the properties was 22,940 acres, and 326 servicemen had applied for farms. Nineteen of these had been re-established on farms.

25/03/1946 Land for Soldier Settlement near Hamilton. "The Mercury"

Purchase of the famous Lawrenny Estate in the Hamilton district for provision of farms to ex-servicemen has been approved by the Commonwealth Government.

Making this announcement yesterday the State Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Madden) said the estate, which covers 82,000 acres would be subdivided into about 74 farms, almost half of which would be dairying, the other half roughly divided into prime lamb and wool growing. Mr. Madden paid tribute to the owner of the estate, Mr. H. E. Brock who, he said, offered it to the Government solely for the purpose of providing farms for ex-servicemen. Mr. Brocks generous action was worthy of the highest commendation, and he had set an example in public-spiritedness which the Government deeply appreciated. "The project was submitted to the Commonwealth Government under provisions of the Commonwealth - State War Service Land Settlement Agreement some few months ago, . . . and as a result of investigations by commonwealth officers, the State is now in a position to complete negotiations for acquisition of the property, which will be developed to minimum standards stipulated in the agreement."

This development programme would involve survey and sub-divisional fencing, into suitable sized allotments, erection of necessary houses, dairies, woolsheds and other buildings essential for the type of production to be undertaken on the various holdings, and would include provision of water supply, drainage, and suitable amenities for settlers."

"The question has often been asked", said the Minister, "as to the size of farms into which the Closer Settlement Board proposes to cut the estates purchased. It is not possible to give an exact figure as the type of production suitable for different areas will necessitate varying areas of land."

"The underlying principle as agreed on between the Commonwealth and State Governments is that the area of land allotted to a settler shall be of sufficient size to provide at the outset a cash labour income (after all expenses, such as operating costs, rent, interest and other fixed commitments have been met)equivalent to what a worker in the town would earn on the Arbitration court determination, plus skill margins." It would be readily appreciated that an area capable of supporting 30 cows in its initial development stages and capable of further development up to 50 - 60 cows, would be totally different from that needed to run the minimum number of dry sheep necessary to provide the standard of income indicated. In addition to this minimum standard at the stage where the farm was allotted to the settler, there was a margin for development by his own skill and exertion which would have the effect of increasing his net income according to his ability and progressiveness.

The Commonwealth Government has also approved the purchase of 1,800 acres on the southern part of Flinders Island known as Bootjack. This will provide for the settlement of eight dairy farmers. Acquisition and development would proceed almost immediately.

Investigations in a number of other cases had received Cabinet approval and been transmitted to the Commonwealth Government. These projects entailed the acquisition of a number of large estates in different parts of Tasmania.

25/03/1946 War Service Land Settlement Plan for 286 Farms. "The Mercury"

Claiming Tasmania was well ahead of other States in planning, preparation and organization for soldier settlement, the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Madden) . . . yesterday said 458 applications had been received and plans were in hand for provision of farms to 286 settlers.

Almost all of the larger estates had been brought under review, said the Minister, and the committee had made recommendations regarding the suitability of some of them. Others had been rejected. Investigations had revealed there was comparatively little Crown land suitable for large-scale rural development.

During the Postwar Land Development Committee' s investigation 818,000 acres had been considered. Recommendations had been made to the Government about the suitability of 155,315 acres to provide for 309 farms; 468,893 acres had been rejected as unsuitable, and 193,367 acres was still under investigation.

The closer settlement Board had transmitted to Canberra for approval projects covering 11 areas of land totaling 149,681 acres, and it was estimated the acquisition cost of this land would be £ 450,000. Assuming the Commonwealth Government approved all of the projects, they would provide farms for 286 settlers. In all, 458 applications had been received for land settlement and re-establishment on the land. Ten had been withdrawn, and of the remainder 363 had been classified by the committee, leaving 85 to be classified within the next few days.

Classification of applicants for land settlement indicated 60 desired settlement on dairy farms, 34 prime lamb and cropping, 54 mixed farming, 25 wool growing, 15 orcharding, 11 small fruit farms and 5 poultry of miscellaneous farms.

The Commonwealth had approved one settlement project on King Island which envisaged the settlement of about 140 dairy farms. The acquisition of 84 separate blocks comprising this area had been put in hand: 79 of the blocks comprised 28,644 acres, had already been acquired.

Of the area acquired by the Closer Settlement Board, 89 pc or 25,111 acres, has been purchased by mutual agreement with vendors, and only in 11 pc, or 3,533 acres, had it been necessary to invoke compulsory acquisition. The whole area, it was estimated, would be cleared in 24 months, but while this was going on the necessary soil typing, subdivision survey, erection of buildings, fences, dairies, and the like would proceed, so that all allotment of farms in many cases would take place before the last stages of clearing were reached.

Dairy Stock Scarce

Provision of dairy stock to selected settlers was causing the Closer Settlement Board a good deal of concern, said the Minister. There was a serious shortage of suitable dairy stock throughout Australia, and in addition to the needs of new settlers there was a heavy demand by farmers who had been cash cropping during the war and now desired to return to stock farming.

To overcome this difficulty and ensure the availability of suitable young dairy cows the board had established a calf rearing farm on King Island. More than 150 calves had been reared in the first year of the undertaking.

Calf rearing, Loorana, King Island

Lawrenny estate would be taken over as a going concern, with stock and equipment, on June 30th. An experienced man had been appointed manager and would take up duties within the next three weeks, following which subdivision survey and development work would be put in hand expeditiously.

The Classification Committee had classified 159 applicants for re-establishment loans, of which 10 were ineligible. Those classified suitable included 27 who required assistance to re-establish themselves on dairy farms, 5 on lamb raising and cropping farms, 28 mixed farming, 8 wool growing, 44 orcharding, 31 small fruits, and 16 on poultry and miscellaneous farming.

In regards to rural training, the Minister said the Classification Committee had recommended that 85 applicants receive training before settlement for varying periods from 6 months to two years. Twenty eight of the applicants had already been placed as trainees on farms, and it was expected that a further 12 trainees would be placed shortly.