Report of the Land Board Inquiry which sat at Garfield on June 25, 1909,
Bunyip and Garfield Express July 2, 1909
James Rouse was one of the sixty settlers who gave evidence and he said that he had spent more than £100 on the land and had not got more than tucker in return. He asked for a five year suspension of payments and a reduction in capital value. The Land Board came to a decision a year later, on June 1, 1910 - the result was a reduction in capital value to £6 and, I believe, a three year suspension of payments. However, of more interest is the fact that Carlo Catani was one of the officials sitting on the Land Board. That means that my great grandfather must have actually met and spoken to Carlo Catani. To say that I am excited would be the understatement of the century, I am absolutely exhilarated by this family connection to Carlo!!
A report in the Weekly Times commenting on the delay the settlers had in getting a decision from the Land Board about the revaluation of their land.
Weekly Times May 28, 1910
Land Board report on James Rouse, June 1909.
4817/130.383 James Rouse Public Office of Victoria Land Selection and Correspondence files
VPRS 5357 Consignment number: P0000 Unit number:3659
This is the page from Great-Grandpa's Land Selection file at the Public Records Office of Victoria - and there is Carlo's signature - bottom right. We have Carlo Catani, P. Campbell and A.A. Peverill. The trio were 'gazetted' as a Land Classification Board in the May 18, 1910 Government Gazette (see below). Peter Campbell was a surveyor. The alliteratively named Augustus Albert Peverill, is listed in the 1909 Electoral rolls at 142 Williams Road, Prahran with an occupation as Civil Servant.
Victorian Government Gazette May 18, 1910
Not sure how the appointments to the Land Classification Boards worked, Carlo also had an appointment 'gazetted' in 1902, see here.
James Rouse - the man who met Carlo!
This is James Rouse, my great-grandfather, above. He was born July 26, 1862 at Stratford on Avon in England and died at Cora Lynn on August 29, 1939. He had married Annie Glover of Clydebank (Victoria) on February 2, 1892 and they had five children. Sadly Annie, born July 7, 1865 died on February 7, 1899 aged 33. She was pre-deceased by their two daughters Ruth and Annie. Another daughter Emily died in tragic circumstances - she was found drowned in the Yarra on August 24, 1919, aged 25. Lucy (born September 2, 1895) died October 27, 1981. Finally, my grandfather Joseph Albert Rouse was born at Clydebank on November 9, 1892 and died September 3, 1954. Joe had come with his Dad to Cora Lynn, Emily and Lucy remained in Clydebank or Sale (not sure where) for a few years with some aunties.
