McFarlane - Signatures on Australian banknotes - Stuart Gordon McFarlane - Coins and Australia

With his reputation for financial prudence secured, McFarlane resumed his career in the Treasury in 1926. That year he was appointed accountant and promoted assistant-secretary (finance). Appearing before the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts in 1930, he opposed Tasmania's request for increased financial assistance on the ground that adverse economic conditions were affecting every State. In 1934 he gave evidence to the Commonwealth Grants Commission on submissions by South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania for additional help; dismissing the argument that their budgets had deteriorated because of the Financial Agreement of 1927, he rejected the States' claims. When Sheehan was promoted secretary to the Treasury in 1932, McFarlane became second-in-charge as assistant-secretary (administrative). He was appointed secretary of the Australian Loan Council and of the National Debt Commission.