AGY-554 | Farmers' Relief Board (1932-1939) Rural Reconstruction Board (1939-1972)

Full description

The Farmers' Relief Board constituted under section 7 of the Farmers' Relief Act, 1932 (Act No.33, 1932) was appointed on 2 January 1932, comprising Mr Henry Rogers as Director and the Hon. Walter Corrie Cambridge, MLC, and Mr. Charles Alfred Le Maistre, CBE, as members. (1) The Act itself did not commence until 17 February 1933. (2) The Farmers' Relief Board was set up by the Farmers' Relief Act, 1932 to provide assistance and relief to necessitous farmers with the object of 'amelioration of the financial difficulties of those primary producers who seek the assistance provided under the Act, thus creating a stabilising influence in the affairs of the farmers and an easier attitude on the part of their creditors'. (3)

The main function of the board was to prevent creditors taking action against farmers on debts by means of Stay Orders.  When such Orders were issued the Board would appoint a supervisor to administer the farmer's affairs and it also had the power to provide carry-on finance to farmers. (4)

The Board was renamed the Rural Reconstruction Board on 22 November 1939 and reconstituted to consist of five members, under the Rural Reconstruction Act, 1939 (Act No.45, 1939). (5)

The Act was amended on 13 November 1941 and the Board was reconstituted to comprise, 'the Director as chairman, one representative of the Crown as a creditor, one representative of private creditors one representative of farmers generally and three alternate members representing-
(a) farmers involved in grazing operations
(b) farmers engaged in agricultural operations and mixed farming
(c) farmers involved in dairy farming and types of farming other than (a) and (b) above'. (6)

The functions of the Authority were a) investigating applications by farmers for assistance; b) formulating and settling reconstruction schemes which usually included the adjustment of debts and farm re-establishment and development programmes; c) making loans, in conjunction with reconstruction schemes, for purposes of debt adjustment and farm re-establishment and development. d) Administration of some farms cases under reconstruction schemes e) Issuing Stay Orders when necessary to allow for complete inquiries to be made into the farmer's financial position f) reconstruction of marginal wheat areas. (7)

The Rural Reconstruction Board was abolished under the Rural Assistance Act, 1971 (Act No.62, 1971), which received assent on 15 December 1971, (8) which established on 1 January 1972, (9) in its place, the Rural Assistance Board.


Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette No.3, 6 January 1933, p.53.
2. Farmer's Relief Act, 1932 (Act No.33, 1932) s.7; NSW Government Gazette No.26, 17 February 1933, p.745.
3. Farmers' Relief Board, Report of the Operations of the Board up to the 30th June, 1933, pp.1 and 4 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1934-35, Vol.3, pp.901, 904.
4. Rural Assistance Authority website 'A brief history of NSW Rural Assistance Authority' http://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/about/history (accessed 9 February 2011).
5. NSW Government Gazette No.184, 22 November 1939, p.5447.
6. Rural Reconstruction Board, Report on operations of the Board during year ended 30th June, 1942, p.3 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1942-43, Vol.1, p.1269.
7. Rural Reconstruction Board, Report on operations of the Board during year ended 30th June, 1946, p.1 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1946-47, Vol.2, p.769.
8. NSW Government Gazette No.149, 24 December 1971, p.4999.
9. Rural Assistance Board, Annual Report, year ended 30 June, 1972, p.3 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1972-73, Vol.1, p.219.