This Act may be cited as the Army Board Act, 1937, and shall be read together with and deemed part of the Defence Act, 1909 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act).

In this Act—

There shall from time to time be appointed, as an officer of the Public Service, a fit and proper person to be called the Army Secretary, who shall have such duties and functions in relation to the Army as the Board may from time to time determine, and such other functions (if any) as may from time to time be prescribed by regulations under the principal Act.

The officer who at the commencement of this Act holds office as the Under-Secretary of Defence shall be deemed to have been duly appointed as the Army Secretary under this Act.

Section thirty-four of the Finance Act, 1930 (No. 2), is hereby repealed.

There is hereby established a Board, to be called the Army Board.

The Board shall consist of—

Three members of the Board shall form a quorum.

The powers of the Board shall not be affected by any vacancy in the membership thereof.

The Governor-General may from time to time, by regulations under the principal Act, make provision with respect to the proceedings of the Board. In the absence of such regulations, or in so far as they do not extend, the Board may regulate its own procedure.

The Board shall be charged with the administration of the Army and shall have such powers, duties, and functions in relation thereto as may from time to time be conferred on it by regulations under the principal Act and, subject to such regulations or in so far as they do not extend, shall have all such powers as are reasonably necessary for the effective performance of its functions and duties.

The enactments mentioned in the Schedule hereto are hereby amended in the manner indicated therein.