AGY-3048 | Wheat Industry Stabilisation Committee - New South Wales

Full description

Falling wheat prices in 1938 led to the establishment of a Wheat Stabilisation scheme . The scheme involved the State Government fixing the price of flour and the Commonwealth imposing excise duty on flour. Proceeds from the tax were paid into the Wheat Stabilisation Fund (a Commonwealth Trust Account) for distribution to wheat growers in the various states A Commonwealth Stabilisation Advisory Committee administered the scheme and an advisory Committee , which fixed prices for wheat products other than flour , was established in each state. (1) In New South Wales the scheme was regulated by the Wheat Industry Stabilisation Act, 1938 (Act No 32, 1938) On the outbreak of war the Commonwealth Government took control of the wheat industry including stocks of wheat, wheat marketing, current and future crops. The Australian Wheat Board was established on 21 September, 1939 to manage the industry. The Wheat Industry Stabilisation Act, 1938 was suspended until six month after the end of World War II. In November 1940 the stabilisation of the Wheat Industry was placed under National Security Regulations. (2) In addition to national security the aims of wheat stabilisation were to
(a) Limit production of wheat, by only licensing legitimate wheat growers and preventing any new comers from entering the industry;
(b) Restrict production, by limiting the area sown to wheat to the area normally sown by wheat growers in the couple of earlier years;
(c)Register existing wheat farms and license farmers to grow wheat; and
(d) Provide a payable price for wheat and grain produced in the Commonwealth under the control of the Scheme. (3) All of these activities were coordinated by the newly created Wheat Stabilization Board based in Melbourne. The Board of three members and a Secretary were appointed by the Commonwealth Minister for Commerce and Agriculture in November 1940. The Chairman of the Australian Wheat Board was ex-officio the Chairman of this Board. (4) . At the Conference of Commonwealth and State Officers, held in Melbourne on 13 January 1941, the New South Wales delegation indicated that they favoured a State Wheat Committee for regulating the industry. Following this conference the State Wheat Industry Stabilization Committee - NSW was created under the administration of the Department of Agriculture. (5) The Committee consisted of three members - a repressnetative of the Commonwealth of Austrlia and two representatives of the wheat growers (6) A report of the Committee, submitted to the Conference in Melbourne on 10 - 11 March 1941, noted that a staff of 12 employees was appointed to deal with applications to register wheat farms throughout New South Wales. Within a short time over 20 000 applications were received. (7) During 1941 the Committee’s administrative activities were removed from the Department of the Agriculture to the Department of Lands where a special section was established to deal with this business. At the end 1941/42 financial year there were of 21 officers employed to despatch the Committee's work. (8) In the season 1941/42 the licensed growers were paid 4/- per bushel of wheat for their first 3000 bushels and 2/- per bushel for grain harvested in excess of this quantity. (9) The State wheat areas were divided into Local Committees of Review each of which was headed by the District Surveyor. These Committees consisted of the District Surveyor as a chairman and two lay members nominated by the wheat growers organization. Recommendations of the Committee were forwarded to the State Committee. (10) In March 1943 the Minister of Lands undertook a reorganization the Wheat Industry Stabilization Section including greater co-operation with the members of the Committee on matters affecting the work of the section, its application and administration. This resulted in improvements in the output of the Section and in increased co-operation between the Chairman and the Grower Members of the Committee. (11) In the post-war period the State Wheat Committee was maintained within the Department of Lands and on 30 June 1947 27 officers were engaged in the work on stabilization wheat industry as a part of the Commonwealth policy. (12) With the expiry of the National Security (Wheat Industry Stabilization) Regulations on 31 December 1948 the Wheat Industry Stabilization Committee - New South Wales ceased to exist. There was no longer any provision for the registration of wheat farms or for the issue of wheat licenses. (13) FOOTNOTE
(1) New South Wales Official Yearbook, 1940-1941 p. 754-755 (2) New South Wales Official Yearbook, 1940-1941 p. 755 (3) State Records NSW, Wheat Industry Stabilization Committee- NSW. Special Bundles, 1942-1848 CGS 14587/ [1/3516]
(4) Ibid
(5) Ibid
(6) New South Wales Official Yearbook, 1940-1941 p. 755
(7) State Records Kingswood, Wheat Industry Stabilization Committee- NSW, Special Bundles, 1942-1848 CGS 14587/ [1/3516]
(8) Report of the Department of Lands 1941/42, A.R.1942/43 v.1, p.8
(9) Ibid
(10) Ibid.
(11) State Records Kingswood, Wheat Industry Stabilization Committee - NSW, Special Bundles, 1942-1848 CGS 14587/[1/3516]1/3516
(12) Report of the Department of Lands 1946/47, A.R. 1947/1948, v.1, p.8
(13) State Records Kingswood, Wheat Industry Stabilization Committee - NSW, Special Bundles, 1942-1848 CGS 14587/ , [1/3516]