{"id":"nsw:act-1930-038","name":"Farrer Memorial Research Scholarship Fund Act 1930","slug":"farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nsw","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"38 of 1930","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":111769,"registerId":"nsw-act-1930-038-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of Act","content":"#### 1 Name of Act\n\n1 Name of Act\n\n> This Act may be cited as the [Farrer Memorial Research Scholarship Fund Act 1930](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1930-038).","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Definitions","content":"#### 2 Definitions\n\n2 Definitions\n\n> In this Act—\n> \n> Department means Regional NSW.\n> \n> Secretary means the Secretary of the Department.\n> \n> The fund means the moneys formerly held by the late Frederick Bickell Guthrie, George Washington Walker, the late Henry Lord, and the Under-Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, and the Principal of the Hawkesbury Agricultural College at Richmond, in connection with the Farrer Memorial Fund, amounting at or shortly before the commencement of this Act to the sum of about two thousand eight hundred and forty-eight pounds seventeen shillings and ten pence, and the investments for the time being representing the same together with all interest accrued and accruing thereon.\n> \n> Trustees means the trustees of the fund appointed by or under this Act.\n> \n> **s 2:** Am 2004 No 91, Sch 1.12 \\[1\\]; 2010 No 59, Sch 2.31; 2019 No 14, Sch 2.7\\[1\\] \\[2\\]; 2020 No 30, Sch 3.11.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Trustees","content":"#### 3 Trustees\n\n3 Trustees\n\n> The Honourable Alfred Edgar Hunt, Member of the Legislative Council, Thomas Irving Campbell, of Tabbita, in the State of New South Wales, farmer, George Washington Walker, of Sydney, in the said State, grain merchant, or their successors appointed under this Act (in this Act referred to as the non-official trustees) together with the persons who for the time being respectively hold the offices of Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Sydney, Secretary (or the Secretary’s nominee), a Deputy Secretary of the Department nominated by the Secretary and an officer of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation nominated by the Minister (which said persons are in this Act referred to as the official trustees) shall be the trustees of the fund.\n> \n> **s 3:** Am 1974 No 70, sec 2 (a); 1993 No 46, Sch 2; 2004 No 91, Sch 1.12 \\[2\\] \\[3\\]; 2019 No 14, Sch 2.7\\[3\\].","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Majority of trustees to act","content":"#### 4 Majority of trustees to act\n\n4 Majority of trustees to act\n\n> The trustees shall be entitled to act by a majority of those present at any meeting duly convened, at which a quorum shall be three.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"New trustees","content":"#### 5 New trustees\n\n5 New trustees\n\n> > (1) A new trustee may be appointed in the place of any non-official trustee by the Governor and the appointment signified by notification published in the Gazette in any of the following cases—\n> > \n> > > (a) where a trustee is dead,\n> > \n> > > (b) where a trustee remains out of New South Wales for more than one year without the consent of the trustees,\n> > \n> > > (c) where a trustee desires to be discharged from all or any of the trusts or powers reposed in or conferred on him, or resigns his office by letter addressed to the Minister,\n> > \n> > > (d) where a trustee refuses or is unfit to act in such trusts or powers, or is incapable of acting therein.\n> \n> > (2) Upon any such appointment being so notified the fund shall by virtue of this Act vest in the new trustee so appointed jointly with the continuing trustees.\n> \n> > (3) Upon any change in the holder of any office referred to in section three the fund shall by virtue of this Act vest jointly in the successor in the office whose holder is changed and the continuing trustees.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Transfer and investment of fund and application of proceeds","content":"#### 6 Transfer and investment of fund and application of proceeds\n\n6 Transfer and investment of fund and application of proceeds\n\n> > (1) The fund is hereby vested in the trustees, and shall by them be invested in any of the securities authorised by the [Trustee Act 1925](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1925-014).\n> \n> > (2) The interest arising from the investment of the fund shall be expended, in such amounts as from time to time are determined by the trustees—\n> > \n> > > (a) in enabling any person selected by the trustees to carry out study or research in agricultural problems, and\n> > \n> > > (b) at the discretion of the trustees, in paying—\n> > > \n> > > > (i) the whole or part of the costs and expenses of the delivery of an annual Farrer Memorial Oration and the annual presentation of medal, known as the Farrer Memorial Medal, and\n> > > \n> > > > (ii) an honorarium to the recipient of the Farrer Memorial Medal.\n> \n> **s 6:** Am 1974 No 70, sec 2 (b).","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Power of trustees as to investigation and person to make same","content":"#### 7 Power of trustees as to investigation and person to make same\n\n7 Power of trustees as to investigation and person to make same\n\n> The trustees shall have power to indicate or direct the nature of the investigation which will be accepted by them as conforming to the objects of the fund referred to in section 6 (2) (a), and also to select the person who, in their opinion, has the necessary qualifications for the particular class of work to be undertaken.\n> \n> Any person so selected shall be appointed by the trustees as a Farrer Memorial Research Scholar for such period as the trustees may determine.\n> \n> Any appointment so made may be revoked by the trustees if they are satisfied after inquiry that the conduct or work of such holder is such that he should no longer retain the scholarship.\n> \n> **s 7:** Am 1974 No 70, sec 2 (c).","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Further endowments","content":"#### 8 Further endowments\n\n8 Further endowments\n\n> The trustees may accept any sums of money given to them to be applied for the same purposes as those to which the fund is to be applied, and any such sum shall be deemed to be part of the fund.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"9","sectionType":"section","heading":null,"content":"#### 9\n\n9 (Repealed)","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"10","sectionType":"section","heading":"By-laws","content":"#### 10 By-laws\n\n10 By-laws\n\n> > (1) The trustees may make by-laws not inconsistent with this Act prescribing any matter which is necessary or convenient for carrying this Act into effect, and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing power, may make by-laws for the general control and management of the fund, prescribing the conditions upon which payments will be made and the qualifications required to be held by persons, and for regulating the conduct of their own proceedings, including the times, places and conduct of their meetings.\n> \n> > (2) A by-law shall be submitted for the approval of the Governor.\n> \n> > (3) (Repealed)\n> \n> **s 10:** Am 1974 No 70, sec 2 (d); 1987 No 48, Sch 32.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"11","sectionType":"section","heading":null,"content":"#### 11\n\n11 (Repealed)","sortOrder":11}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation has remained true to its original purpose since 1930. While there have been administrative updates (changing department names from Agriculture to Regional NSW, updating trustee positions to reflect modern structures like CSIRO), the core scope—managing a scholarship fund for agricultural research and an annual memorial oration—has not expanded beyond the original intent. Section 9 and 11 were repealed as spent or obsolete, actually narrowing rather than expanding the Act."},"complexity_factors":["Very short statute (11 sections, many repealed)","Only 5 defined terms in the interpretation section","Simple trust structure with clear beneficiary purposes","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to Trustee Act 1925 for investment powers)","Straightforward appointment and replacement mechanisms for trustees","No nested exceptions or complex conditional logic","Administrative amendments over time (department name changes) do not add substantive complexity"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act establishes a trust fund to honour William Farrer, a pioneering Australian wheat breeder. It sets up a scholarship for agricultural research and an annual memorial lecture with a medal.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Creates the **Farrer Memorial Research Scholarship Fund** from money originally raised by public subscription in the 1920s (about £2,848).\n- Appoints **trustees** to manage the fund, made up of both appointed citizens (\"non-official trustees\") and government officials holding specific jobs (\"official trustees\"), including the Dean of Agriculture at Sydney University and representatives from the agriculture department and CSIRO.\n- Requires the trustees to invest the money in safe government securities.\n- Uses the investment income for two purposes:\n  - Funding **research scholarships** for people studying agricultural problems (chosen by the trustees).\n  - Paying for an **annual Farrer Memorial Oration** and awarding the **Farrer Memorial Medal** (plus an honorarium to the medal winner).\n- Allows the Governor to appoint replacement trustees when non-official trustees die, resign, become unfit, or leave NSW for more than a year.\n- Lets the trustees accept extra donations to grow the fund.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Agricultural researchers and students applying for the scholarship.\n- The trustees who manage the fund and select scholars.\n- The NSW Department of Regional NSW (formerly Agriculture) which provides administrative support.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis Act preserves a piece of Australia's agricultural heritage. William Farrer developed drought-resistant wheat varieties that transformed Australian farming. The Act ensures his legacy continues by funding new research and publicly recognising outstanding contributions to agricultural science through the annual oration and medal."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act’s present scope reflects later amendments and repeals noted in the text: definitions have been updated (eg. 'Department' defined as Regional NSW) and trustee composition and other provisions have been amended (see marginal amendment notes to s 2, s 3, s 6). Sections 9 and 11 are repealed, and s 10 was amended. These changes alter administrative detail and governance mechanics (appointments, departmental references, by‑laws), rather than the core purpose of investing the fund to support agricultural research and related events."},"complexity_factors":["Relatively short, single-purpose statute focusing on one endowment and its administration (overall low structural complexity).","Mixed trustee composition: named non‑official trustees plus ex officio and nominated official trustees creating appointment and succession rules — s 3, s 5.","Trustees exercise broad discretion over selection, appointment duration and revocation of scholars and over what research is acceptable — s 7 (discretion and inquiry powers).","Financial mechanics: statutory vesting of the fund, mandatory investment under Trustee Act 1925, and limitation that only interest (not capital) is expended — s 6(1)–(2).","By‑law power subject to Governor approval and procedural rules (quorum, majority) add administrative and compliance steps — s 4, s 10(1)–(2).","Amendments and repeals indicated in marginal notes alter definitions and provisions, requiring attention to current text vs historical versions — see amendment notes to s 2, s 3, s 6, s 9 (rep), s 11 (rep)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act places a named agricultural endowment (the Farrer Memorial Fund) under a board of trustees, directs that it be invested, and requires the trustees to spend the investment interest on agricultural research scholarships and, at their discretion, the costs of an annual Farrer Memorial Oration, medal and an honorarium. Trustees (a mix of named individuals and office‑holders or nominees) select and can revoke scholars; the fund may also accept further donations and is invested under the Trustee Act."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on available information, the Act appears to have retained its original narrow purpose of administering the Farrer Memorial Research Scholarship Fund. The amendments visible in the legislative timeline (1993, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2019, 2020) are consistent with routine administrative updates — such as machinery-of-government changes, ministerial title updates, and formatting changes — rather than any fundamental expansion or contraction of the Act's scope."},"complexity_factors":["The Act appears to be short and narrowly focused on a single purpose — establishing and governing one specific scholarship fund","Nearly a century of amendments may have introduced some layering, but the core subject matter (a memorial scholarship fund) is inherently simple","The full text of the substantive provisions was not provided, so hidden complexity cannot be fully assessed","Ministerial responsibility falls clearly under one portfolio (Agriculture), suggesting no cross-jurisdictional complexity","No apparent interaction with complex regulatory regimes or multiple other Acts"],"plain_english_summary":"The Farrer Memorial Research Scholarship Fund Act 1930 (NSW) establishes and preserves a memorial scholarship fund in William Farrer's name to support agricultural or related scientific research. It creates a legal framework for awarding scholarships/grants, affects researchers, the NSW Minister for Agriculture and administering agencies, and ensures dedicated funds for agricultural research are managed under law — a nearly century‑old, still‑active statutory vehicle (amended as recently as 2020)."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930","history":"/api/acts/farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930/history","analysis":"/api/acts/farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/farrer-memorial-research-scholarship-fund-act-1930/documents"}}