8.—4

The Commissions had power to order the sale of the whole or any portion of the property of the applicant, to empower a vendor mortgagee to repurchase the property, and, where necessary, to make a vesting order. In the case of farmer applicants there was power to authorize the borrowing of moneys secured on the property of the applicant in priority to existing securities where, in the opinion of the Commission, provision should be made for a purpose that would increase the productive capacity of the farm lands or the income that would be derived from these farm lands. Administration of the Act. Applications. —The last day for making applications was the 31st January, 1937, but the Court of Review was authorized to grant leave to file an application up to the 28th February, 1937. There were 34,596 applications filed —15,621 by farmer applicants and 18,975 by other applicants. Adjustment Commissions.—The Dominion was divided into districts, one or more Commissions being appointed for each district. Some thirty-four Commissions were originally appointed, but in order to expedite the work these were afterwards increased, the final organization being fifteen urban and twenty-five rural Commissions. The appointment of still further Commissions was considered, but it was found that the existing Commissions were adequate, and to have increased the number would have caused inconvenience. Hearing of Applications. —The Commissions commenced their work after Easter, 1937, and by December, 1938, practically the whole of the 34,000 applications had been disposed of. By Easter, 1939 (just two years after the hearings really commenced), with the exception of one or two isolated cases which had been deferred for special reasons, all applications had been finally disposed of, and the Court of Review had dealt with practically all the appeals. Relief Granted.—Of the applications filed, 2,569 were the subject of voluntary adjustments and 8,020 were withdrawn. The remaining applications were heard by the Adjustment Commissions. Of the 9,992 farm orders made after a hearing, the principal sum due under mortgage was reduced in 5,406 cases. In relation to other applications the figures were 11,151 applications and 4,081 cases in which there was a reduction in the principal sum. Two of the principal forms of relief granted by the Commissions were the extension of the due date for payment of the principal sum payable under a mortgage, and the reduction of the rate of interest. The terms of mortgages were extended in the following cases : —

The amounts written off mortgages were- —

The rate of rental payable under leases was reduced in respect of 2,477 farms and 175 other applications, and arrears of rent were remitted or reduced in 2,327 farm and 165 other cases. The total remissions were' —Farm, £432,043 ; other, £12,999 : total, £445,042. Unsecured debts were remitted in respect of 3,446 farm and 478 other applications, and the amounts remitted totalled —Farm applications, £1,143,478; other applications, £66,367 : total, £1,209,845. A summary of the amounts remitted is set out hereunder : —

10

Farm. Other. Total. First mortgages .. .. .. 7,622 8,807 16,429 Other mortgages .. .. .. 3,018 2,757 5,775 10,640 11,564 22,204 ■ j

Farm. Other. Total. £ £ £ Principal 5,589,148 1,047,666 6,636,814 Interest .. .. .. 1,368,768 224,865 1,593,633 6,957,916 1,272,531 8,230,447

Farm. Other. Total. £ £ £ Mortgages — Principal .. .. 5,589,148 1,047,666 6,636,814 Interest .. .. 1,368,768 224,865 1,593,633 Rents remitted .. .. 432,043 12,999 445,042 Unsecured debts .. .. 1,143,478 66,367 1,209,845 8,533,437 1,351,897 9,885,334