72-641: The ACT Labor Party , officially known as the Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch) and commonly referred to simply as ACT Labor , is the Australian Capital Territory branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The branch is the current ruling party in the ACT and is led by Andrew Barr, who has concurrently served as chief minister since 2014. It is one of two major parties in the unicameral ACT Legislative Assembly , and
144-461: A No vote. The federal Labor government of Prime Minister Bob Hawke set up a Self-Government Task Force in 1986 to report on the government of the ACT. The assembly was first created in 1975 by the Whitlam government, as a response to frequent criticism about the lack of representation for the citizens of the territory. Whitlam had appointed the local federal MP, Kep Enderby , as Minister for
216-411: A few titles were not transferred until the late 20th Century. Land within the territory is granted under a leasehold system, with 99-year residential leases sold to buyers as new suburbs are planned, surveyed, and developed. The current policy is for these leases to be extended for another 99-year period on expiry, subject to payment of an administrative fee. In an arrangement inspired by Georgism ,
288-582: A nominee of that party. The new Assembly began sitting in the then-Civic Offices, later renovated to become the current Legislative Assembly Building . An independent MLA, Jim Pead , took office as the first President (the equivalent of the Speaker) of the new body. Gordon Walsh became the first leader of the Labor caucus, with Peter Hughes leading the Liberal caucus. Both were replaced in 1977; Walsh joined
360-771: A number of Ministers. The executive power of the Territory rests with the ACT Government , led by the Executive. The Executive is chaired by the Chief Minister (currently the Labor Party 's Andrew Barr ) and consists of Ministers appointed by them. The Executive are supported by the ACT Public Service, which is arranged into directorates, and a number of public authorities. The Chief Minister
432-497: A number of species including Pinus radiata on the slopes of Mount Stromlo. Since then, plantations have been expanded, with the benefit of reducing erosion in the Cotter catchment, and the forests are also popular recreation areas. The fauna of the territory includes representatives from most major Australian animal groups . This includes kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, platypus, echidna, emu, kookaburras and dragon lizards. Unlike
504-550: A perfect score of 1. Indigenous Australians have long inhabited the area. Evidence indicates habitation dating back at least 25,000 years, and it is possible that the area was inhabited for considerably longer, with evidence of an Aboriginal presence at Lake Mungo dating back around 40,000–62,000 years. The principal group occupying the region were the Ngunnawal people , with the Ngarigo and Walgalu living immediately to
576-437: A protest vote by disgruntled Canberrans and a total of 8 were won by minor parties and independents. In 1992, Labor won eight seats and the minor parties and independents won only three. Stability increased, and in 1995, Kate Carnell became the first elected Liberal chief minister. In 1998, Carnell became the first chief minister to be re-elected. The Australian Capital Territory is the smallest mainland territory (aside from
648-637: A seat in the Senate. The second election for the Assembly was held on 2 June 1979 , and saw a change in name from the Legislative Assembly to the House of Assembly. The election saw the addition of a fourth party, with the conservative Family Team led by Bev Cains winning a seat. It also saw the election of future self-government ministers Greg Cornwell and Paul Whalan . A third election
720-656: A successful no-confidence motion was moved against the Liberal-Residents Rally Alliance Government. ACT Elections were held in February 1992 and Labor was returned to power with the number of MLAs increased from five to eight, only one short of majority Government. After the 1995 and 1998 elections Labor formed the Opposition to a minority Liberal government. Labor won back Government on 20 October 2001 and retained government at
792-738: Is a locality to the south-west of Canberra that features the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex , operated by the United States' NASA as part of its Deep Space Network . The Southern Tablelands Temperate Grassland straddles the state. The territory includes a large range of mountains, rivers and creeks, largely contained within the Namadgi National Park . These include
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#1732775642553864-459: Is common in the winter months. Snow is rare in Canberra's city centre, but the surrounding areas get annual snowfall through winter and often the snow-capped mountains can be seen from the city. The last significant snowfall in the city centre was in 1968. Smoke haze became synonymous with the 2019/2020 Australian summer. On 1 January 2020 Canberra had the worst air quality of any major city in
936-717: Is currently in a coalition with the ACT Greens . Originally a part of the New South Wales Labor Party , the ALP National Conference established an autonomous ACT Branch in 1973. There have been four Labor Chief Ministers since self-government in 1989. The most recent is the current Chief Minister, Andrew Barr , who has served since 2014. The ACT Labor has been in Government since 2001. The current ACT Labor Platform notes that
1008-833: Is home to many important institutions of the federal government, national monuments and museums. These include the Parliament of Australia , the High Court of Australia , the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Australian War Memorial . It also hosts the majority of foreign embassies in Australia, as well as regional headquarters of many international organisations, not-for-profit groups, lobbying groups and professional associations. Several major universities also have campuses in
1080-727: Is the equivalent of a State Premier and sits on the National Cabinet. Unlike the States and the Northern Territory, there is no vice-regal representative who chairs the Executive. The Chief Minister performs many of the roles that a state governor normally holds in the context of a state; however, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly gazettes the laws and summons meetings of the Assembly. The ACT Labor party has held Government since 2001. The legislative power of
1152-640: The Seat of Government Act 1908 was passed in 1908 which specified a capital in the Yass-Canberra region. The territory was transferred to the federal government by New South Wales in 1911, two years prior to the capital city being founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913. While the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the city of Canberra in the ACT's north-east, the territory also includes some towns such as Williamsdale , Oaks Estate , Uriarra , Tharwa and Hall . The ACT also includes
1224-662: The Acton Peninsula . Moore formally purchased the site in 1826 and named the property Canberry or Canberra . A significant influx of population and economic activity occurred around the 1850s gold rushes . The gold rushes prompted the establishment of communication between Sydney and the region by way of the Cobb & Co coaches, which transported mail and passengers. The first post offices opened in Ginninderra in 1859 and at Lanyon in 1860. During colonial times,
1296-618: The Black Mountain Sandstone formation and the Pittman Formation consisting largely of quartz -rich sandstone , siltstone and shale . These formations became exposed when the ocean floor was raised by a major volcanic activity in the Devonian forming much of the east coast of Australia. The environments range from alpine area on the higher mountains, to sclerophyll forest and to woodland . Much of
1368-648: The Federal Capital Advisory Committee was established in 1920 to advise the government of the construction efforts. The committee had limited success meeting its goals. However, the chairman, John Sulman , was instrumental in applying the ideas of the garden city movement to Griffin's plan. The committee was replaced in 1925 by the Federal Capital Commission . In 1930, the ACT Advisory Council
1440-493: The Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) until 1938, is a federal territory of Australia. Canberra , the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, and serves as the territory's primate city . It is located in southeastern Australian mainland as an enclave within the state of New South Wales . Founded after Federation as the seat of government for the new nation, the territory hosts
1512-569: The Flora of Australia and include well known plants such as Grevillea , Eucalyptus trees and kangaroo grass . The native forest in the Australian Capital Territory was almost wholly eucalypt species and provided a resource for fuel and domestic purposes. By the early 1960s, logging had depleted the eucalypt, and concern about water quality led to the forests being closed. Interest in forestry began in 1915 with trials of
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#17327756425531584-870: The Jervis Bay Territory ) and covers a total land area of 2,280 km (880 sq mi), slightly smaller than Luxembourg. It is bounded by the Bombala railway line in the east, the watershed of Naas Creek in the south, the watershed of the Cotter River in the west and the watershed of the Molonglo River in the north-east. These boundaries were set to give the ACT an adequate water supply. The ACT extends about 88.5 km (55.0 mi) north-south between 35.124°S and 35.921°S, and 57.75 km (35.88 mi) west-east between 148.763°E and 149.399°E. The city area of Canberra occupies
1656-503: The Köppen-Geiger classification , the territory has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ). January is the hottest month with an average high of 27.7 °C. July is the coldest month when the average high drops to 11.2 °C (52.2 °F). The highest maximum temperature recorded in the territory was 44.0 °C on 4 January 2020. The lowest minimum temperature was −10.0 °C on 11 July 1971. Rainfall varies significantly across
1728-426: The Namadgi National Park , which comprises the majority of land area of the territory. Despite a common misconception, the Jervis Bay Territory is not part of the ACT, although the laws of the Australian Capital Territory apply as if Jervis Bay did form part of the ACT. The territory has a relatively dry, continental climate, experiencing warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. The Australian Capital Territory
1800-580: The National Capital Planning and Development Committee was replaced by the National Capital Development Commission in 1957. The National Capital Development Commission ended four decades of disputes over the shape and design of Lake Burley Griffin and construction was completed in 1964 after four years of work. The completion of the centrepiece of Griffin's design finally laid the platform for
1872-672: The Premier of New South Wales , who argued that locating the future capital in New South Wales would be sufficient to ensure the passage of the Bill. The 1899 referendum on this revised bill was successful and passed with sufficient numbers. Section 125 of the Australian Constitution thus provided that, following Federation in 1901, land would be ceded freely to the new federal government . This, however, left open
1944-427: The 19th century. In 1898, a referendum on a proposed Constitution was held in four of the colonies – New South Wales , South Australia , Tasmania , and Victoria . Although the referendum achieved a majority in all four colonies, the New South Wales referendum failed to gain the minimum number of votes needed for the bill to pass. Following this result, a meeting of the four Premiers in 1898 heard from George Reid ,
2016-612: The ACT Branch was elected junior vice-president of the ALP in 1979, thereby becoming the first woman to hold a national office bearer post in the Labor Party. In 1983 Ryan became the first Labor woman Federal Minister. In 1987 Ros Kelly became the first Labor woman Federal Minister in the House of Representatives. In 1989, Rosemary Follett became the first woman Chief Minister or Premier of any State or Territory in Australia, and then
2088-420: The ACT has been cleared for grazing and is also burnt off by bushfires several times per century. The kinds of plants can be grouped into vascular plants , that include gymnosperms , flowering plants, and ferns , as well as bryophytes , lichens , fungi and freshwater algae . Four flowering plants are endemic to the ACT. Several lichens are unique to the territory. Most plants in the ACT are characteristic of
2160-520: The ACT, and Enderby sought to create a new representative body along the lines of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly , which had been created in 1974. Elections were held for the first Legislative Assembly on 28 September that year, with representatives of the Labor Party , Liberal Party , Australia Party , and several independents taking seats in the Assembly. Unlike its Northern Territory counterpart, it
2232-687: The ACT, including the Australian National University , the University of Canberra , the University of New South Wales , Charles Sturt University and the Australian Catholic University . A locally elected legislative assembly has governed the territory since 1988. However, the Commonwealth maintains authority over the territory and may overturn local laws. It still maintains control over
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2304-539: The European communities of Ginninderra, Molonglo and Tuggeranong settled and farmed the surrounding land. The region was also called the Queanbeyan - Yass district, after the two largest towns in the area. The villages of Ginninderra and Tharwa developed to service the local agrarian communities. During the first 20 years of settlement, there was only limited contact between the settlers and Aboriginal people. Over
2376-529: The Naas and Murrumbidgee Rivers. In September 2022, it was announced that the border between NSW and the ACT would change for the first time since it was created in 1911. ACT chief minister Andrew Barr said NSW premier Dominic Perrottet had agreed to a proposed border change of 330 ha (1.3 sq mi) in the Ginninderra watershed. The territory has a relatively dry, continental climate, experiencing warm to hot summers and cool to cold winters. Under
2448-532: The States of Australia which have their own constitutions, territories like the ACT are governed under a Commonwealth statute —for the ACT, the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 . The Self-Government Act constitutes a democratic government for the Territory consisting of a popularly elected Legislative Assembly which elects a Chief Minister from among its membership who, in turn, appoints an Executive consisting of
2520-490: The Territory is vested in the unicameral Legislative Assembly . The Assembly consists of 25 members who are elected from five electorates using the Hare-Clark single transferable voting system. The Assembly is presided over by the Speaker (currently the Labor Party's Joy Burch ). The Assembly has almost all of the same powers as the state parliaments, the power to "make laws for the peace, order, and good government of
2592-484: The Territory", with limited exceptions relating to the Territory's unique relationship with the Commonwealth. The Hare-Clark voting system was adopted after a referendum in 1992 and was entrenched by another referendum in 1995. The electoral system cannot be changed except by a two-thirds majority in the Assembly or a majority vote of support at a public referendum. Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly The Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly
2664-531: The abolition of the National Capital Development Commission and the formation of a locally elected government. Punch recommended that the Hawke government accept the report's recommendations and subsequently Clyde Holding introduced legislation to grant self-government to the territory in October 1988. The enactment on 6 December 1988 of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 established
2736-606: The area known as the Parliamentary Triangle through the National Capital Authority . Residents of the territory elect three members of the House of Representatives and two senators . With 453,324 residents, the Australian Capital Territory is the second smallest mainland state or territory by population. At the 2016 census , the median weekly income for people in the territory aged over 15
2808-409: The committee. During this time, Prime Minister Robert Menzies regarded the state of the national capital as an embarrassment. After World War II, there was a shortage of housing and office space in Canberra. A Senate Select Committee hearing was held in 1954 to address its development requirements. This Committee recommended the creation of a single planning body with executive power. Consequently,
2880-544: The construction of a road from Sydney to the Goulburn plains. While working on the project, Charles Throsby learned of a nearby lake and river from the local Indigenous peoples and he accordingly sent Wild to lead a small party to investigate the site. The search was unsuccessful, but they did discover the Yass River , and it is surmised that they would have set foot on part of the future territory. A second expedition
2952-502: The development of Griffin's Parliamentary Triangle . In 1978, an advisory referendum was held to determine the views of ACT citizens about whether there should be self-government. Just under 64 percent of voters rejected devolved government options, in favour of the status quo. Nevertheless, in 1988, the new minister for the Australian Capital Territory Gary Punch received a report recommending
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3024-436: The election of future Liberal Chief Minister Trevor Kaine . It was allowed to expire in 1986 due to plans to introduce full self-government for the territory. The House of Assembly had its final meeting on 17 June 1986 and was officially dissolved on 30 June 1986. After some years of discussions, the House of Assembly was replaced with the current Legislative Assembly in 1989, with new Labor leader Rosemary Follett becoming
3096-442: The elections held in 2004 , 2008 , 2012 , 2016 and 2020 . Labor's election win in 2004 was particularly significant as it was the first and, so far, only time a single party has won a majority in the ACT's Legislative Assembly. The Norfolk Island Labor Party operated as a sub-branch of ACT Labor until it faded away sometime after 2015. Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory ( ACT ), known as
3168-495: The first elections the ALP won only 4 out of the 18 positions. The Federal Liberal government held a referendum on self-government in 1978. The referendum was conducted in such a way as to ensure a negative outcome. Following the referendum, the ACT House of Assembly was created which had similar advisory powers to the old Legislative Assembly. In the 1979 and 1982 elections Labor won 8 of the 18 positions. The House of Assembly
3240-623: The first woman in Australia's history to attend the Premiers Conference. While Canberra has largely been an exclusively Federal concern it has nevertheless had a partial elected Advisory Council since 1930. The ALP has endorsed candidates to the different versions of this body since its inception. In 1974 the Advisory Council was replaced by a fully elected advisory body titled the Legislative Assembly . In
3312-526: The formation of the ACT Trades and Labour Council. During the 1940s the party continued to grow. It met monthly in either the Civic or Kingston Hotels. The party lobbied for federal representation and in 1949, Canberrans elected their first federal member. Initially an independent was elected but shortly after Jim Fraser won the seat for the ALP. Fraser held the seat for 19 years until his death. However he
3384-436: The framework for self-government. The first election for the 17-member Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly was held on 4 March 1989. The initial years of self-government were difficult and unstable. A majority of ACT residents had opposed self-government and had it imposed upon them by the federal parliament. At the first election, 4 of the 17 seats were won by anti-self-government single-issue parties due to
3456-535: The headquarters of all important institutions of the Australian Government , most notably Parliament House . On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies of Australia was achieved. Section 125 of the new Australian Constitution provided that land, situated in New South Wales and at least 100 miles (160 km) from Sydney , would be ceded to the new federal government . Following discussion and exploration of various areas within New South Wales,
3528-624: The ideas of 19th-century American economist Henry George , leaseholders had to pay 5% of the unimproved value of the underlying land in rent until the Gorton government abolished it in 1970. In 1911, an international competition to design the future capital was held; it was won by the Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin in 1912. The official naming of Canberra occurred on 12 March 1913 and construction began immediately. After Griffin's departure following difficulty in implementing his project,
3600-555: The nascent Australian Democrats , and was replaced as leader by Peter Vallee , Hughes quit the Liberal Party and was replaced as leader by Jim Leedman . Ivor Vivian became the leader of the Australia Party , before being replaced by Walsh in 1977. The first Assembly saw two prominent members on its benches: future federal ministers Ros Kelly and Susan Ryan . Ryan resigned during the first term, successfully seeking
3672-442: The north-eastern corner of this area. The Australian Capital Territory includes the city of Canberra and some towns such as Williamsdale , Oaks Estate , Uriarra Village , Tharwa and Hall . The Australian Capital Territory also contains agricultural land ( sheep , dairy cattle , vineyards and small amounts of crops) and a large area of national park ( Namadgi National Park ), much of it mountainous and forested. Tidbinbilla
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#17327756425533744-772: The objective of the party is social justice and the pursuit of a fair, just and equitable society. In 1930, the first ACT ALP Branch was established as part of the NSW party . The first meeting was held at the Friendly Society's hall at Kingston . The party endorsed candidates for the Advisory Council and also for the Canberra Community Hospital Board. In 1931, the Branch called a meeting of trade union representatives which resulted in
3816-427: The opening of the first Parliament House in 1927, an appointed Advisory Council was established to administer the capital. In 1974 this was replaced by a fully elected Legislative Assembly, advising the Department of the Capital Territory. In 1979 this became a House of Assembly of 18 elected members, which was dissolved in 1986. In 1978 a referendum on self-government was defeated, with 68 per cent of voters recording
3888-463: The preselection, but this was later overturned by the NSW Branch. During this time the Australian National University was a major source of members of the party and various academics were active participants in its affairs. For example, in 1968 the Canberra City (North) Branch had 118 members of which 13 were undergraduates, 14 were postgraduate students and 10 were academics. In 1973 the ALP National Conference established an autonomous ACT Branch and
3960-426: The present structure was established. The ACT electorate was divided into two electorates of Canberra and Fraser (after Jim Fraser not Malcolm) and two Senate positions were established in 1974. The women's movement has exerted a strong influence on the ACT Branch. In 1974 Susan Ryan was preselected for the Senate and the Branch has a history of electing women as its candidates and party officials. Joan Taggart from
4032-403: The question of where to locate the capital. In 1906 and after significant deliberations, New South Wales agreed to cede sufficient land on the condition that it was in the Yass - Canberra region, this site being closer to Sydney. Initially, Dalgety, New South Wales remained at the forefront, but Yass-Canberra prevailed after voting by federal representatives. The Seat of Government Act 1908
4104-399: The region before settlement was undertaken by Allan Cunningham in 1824. He reported that the region was suitable for grazing and the settlement of the Limestone Plains followed immediately thereafter. The first land grant in the region was made to Joshua John Moore in 1823, and European settlement in the area began in 1824 with the construction of a homestead by his stockmen on what is now
4176-408: The south, the Wandadian to the east, the Gandangara to the north and the Wiradjuri to the north-west. Following European settlement, the growth of the new colony of New South Wales led to an increasing demand for arable land . Governor Lachlan Macquarie supported expeditions to open up new lands to the south of Sydney . The 1820s saw further exploration in the Canberra area associated with
4248-403: The succeeding years, the Ngunnawal and other local indigenous people effectively ceased to exist as cohesive and independent communities adhering to their traditional ways of life. Those who had not succumbed to disease and other predations either dispersed to the local settlements or were relocated to more distant Aboriginal reserves set up by the New South Wales government in the latter part of
4320-426: The territory. Much higher rainfall occurs in the mountains to the west of Canberra compared to the east. The mountains act as a barrier during winter with the city receiving less rainfall. Average annual rainfall in the territory is 629mm and there is an average of 108 rain days annually. The wettest month is October, with an average rainfall of 65.3mm, and the driest month is June, with an average of 39.6mm. Frost
4392-439: The time, these were the oldest fossils discovered in Australia, though this record has now been far surpassed. Other specific geological places of interest include the State Circle cutting and the Deakin anticline . The oldest rocks in the ACT date from the Ordovician around 480 million years ago. During this period the region along with most of Eastern Australia was part of the ocean floor; formations from this period include
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#17327756425534464-452: The world, with an AQI of 7700 (USAQI 949). source 2 = Special climate statements and climate summaries for more recent extremes Notable geological formations in the Australian Capital Territory include the Canberra Formation , the Pittman Formation , Black Mountain Sandstone and State Circle Shale . In the 1840s fossils of brachiopods and trilobites from the Silurian period were discovered at Woolshed Creek near Duntroon . At
4536-458: Was $ 998, significantly higher than the national median of $ 662. The average level of degree qualification in the ACT is also higher than the national average. Within the ACT, 37.1% of the population hold a bachelor's degree level or above education compared to the national figure of 20%. The Australian Capital Territory had the equal fourth highest Human Development Index score (0.976) out of over 1,700 subnational regions in 2022, coming close to
4608-433: Was abolished in 1987 to make way for a self-governing body. A fully autonomous Legislative Assembly was finally established in 1989 and Labor captured 5 of the 17 positions. As Labor was the largest party, Rosemary Follett, the Labor Assembly Leader, was able to form the first government. Rosemary Follett held office for 7 months until a coalition of Liberals and others organised a spill. Labor re-took power in June 1991 after
4680-414: Was established to advise the minister for territories on the community's concerns. In 1934, the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory was established. From 1938 to 1957, the National Capital Planning and Development Committee continued to plan the further expansion of Canberra. However, it did not have executive power, and decisions were made on the development of Canberra without consulting
4752-462: Was held on 5 June 1982, which saw the introduction of a more partisan system. The Liberals held a majority in the Assembly, with Leedman becoming Leader of the House, and new Labor leader Ken Doyle becoming the minority leader. He was to be short-lived as leader, with Maurene Horder succeeding him after only two years. The last Assembly also saw the creation of an office of Speaker, filled by independent MHA Harold Hird . The final election also saw
4824-439: Was limited to voting only on Territorial matters until 1966. In 1951, a second ACT Branch was established in Jervis Bay . A South Canberra Branch was established in 1957 which led to the establishment of a Canberra Federal Electorate Council of the NSW Branch. 1968 saw a challenge to the preselection of Jim Fraser within the ALP. The issue was the Vietnam War and it involved a North-South split. The contender Gordon Walsh won
4896-465: Was mounted shortly thereafter, and they became the first Europeans to camp at the Molonglo (Ngambri) and Queanbeyan (Jullergung) Rivers. However, they failed to find the Murrumbidgee River . The issue of the Murrumbidgee was solved in 1821 when Throsby mounted a third expedition and successfully reached the watercourse, on the way providing the first detailed account of the land where the Australian Capital Territory now resides. The last expedition in
4968-405: Was not made self-governing in 1977. Nine members were elected by Single Transferable Vote proportional representation from each of the ACT's two federal House of Representatives divisions, making 18 in total. Independent members who vacated mid-term were replaced by recounting their original votes to their next preferences to choose a runner-up. Members endorsed by a political party were replaced by
5040-415: Was passed in 1908, which repealed the 1904 Act and specified a capital in the Yass-Canberra region. Government surveyor Charles Scrivener was deployed to the region in the same year to map out a specific site and, after an extensive search, settled upon the present location, basing the borders primarily on the need to secure a stable water supply for the planned capital. The Australian Capital Territory
5112-411: Was the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory between 1975 and 1986, during which time preparation began for the granting of self-government to the Territory. The Assembly had a largely advisory role, with most of the power over the Territory being in the hands of the relevant federal minister. Three years after the seat of government was established at Canberra and after
5184-436: Was transferred to the Commonwealth by New South Wales on 1 January 1911, two years before the naming of Canberra as the national capital on 20 March 1913. The Commonwealth gained control of all land within the borders of the new territory but ownership only of NSW Crown land, with significant parcels of extant freehold remaining in the hands of their pre-existing owners. Much of this was acquired during World War One , though
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