IRON AND STEEL BOUNTY.

No. 36 of 1918.

An Act to provide for the Payment of Bounty on the Manufacture of Black Steel Sheets and Galvanized Sheets in the Commonwealth.

[Assented to 20th December, 1918.]

Preamble.

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia for the purpose of appropriating the grant originated in the House of Representatives, as follows:—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the Iron and Steel Bounty Act 1918.

Definitions.

2. In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

“black steel sheets” means black steel sheets, not exceeding one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness, made from Australian iron ore and steel manufactured in Australia or from such imported sheet bar steel as is authorized in pursuance of section three of this Act;

“freight” means the average freight for black steel sheets not exceeding one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness and galvanized sheets from the ports in the United Kingdom at which those sheets are usually shipped to Australia, as determined by the British Board of Trade for the quarter ending on the thirty-first day of March, the thirtieth day of June, the thirtieth day of September or the thirty-first day of December in any year and immediately preceding the quarter in which bounty is payable;

“galvanized sheets” means galvanized sheets made from Australian iron ore and steel manufactured in Australia or from such imported sheet bar steel as is authorized in pursuance of section three of this Act.

Use of Imported sheet bar steel.

3. In the event of such circumstances arising as would, in the opinion of the Minister, warrant the use of sheet bar steel, other than that made in Australia, for the manufacture in Australia of black steel sheets not exceeding one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness and galvanized sheets, the Minister may authorize that sheet bar steel to be so used, and the black steel sheets not exceeding one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness and the galvanized sheets made from that sheet bar steel shall be deemed to be black steel sheets and galvanized sheets for the purposes of this Act:

Provided that whenever the Minister authorizes the use of sheet bar steel other than that made in Australia he shall within thirty days thereof cause a statement of the reasons therefor to be laid before both Houses of the Parliament if the Parliament is then sitting or, if the Parliament is not then sitting, within thirty days after the next meeting of Parliament, and if either House of the Parliament passes a resolution of which notice has been given at any time within fifteen sitting days after such statement has been laid before such House disallowing such authorization it shall thereupon cease to have effect.

Authority to pay bounty.

4. The Governor-General may authorize the payment out of the Consolidated Revenne Fund, which is hereby appropriated for the purpose, of bounty on the manufacture in Australia, after the first day of October, One thousand nine hundred and eighteen, of black steel sheets and galvanized sheets according to the rates set out in the Schedule to this Act:

Provided that the rates of bounty payable on any black steel sheets or galvanized sheets, manufactured after the introduction of a Customs Tariff bringing into operation increased duties of Customs on black steel sheets or galvanized sheets, shall be decreased by an amount corresponding to the amount by which the duties of Customs are increased:

Provided further that no bounty shall be authorized to be paid on any black steel sheets or galvanized sheets manufactured or supplied or to be manufactured or supplied under a contract containing a term or condition permitting or providing for the deduction of the amount of the bounty or any part thereof from the price

or moneys payable for the black steel sheets or galvanized sheets to the manufacturers.

Limit of total amount of bounty.

5.—(1.) The total amount of the bounty authorized to be paid in respect of black steel sheets and galvanized sheets shall not exceed the amount set out in the third column of the Schedule.

(2.) The total amount of bounty authorized to be paid in any one financial year shall not exceed the sum of Forty thousand pounds.

(3.) When the maximum amount of bounty which may be paid in any year has not been paid in that year, the unpaid balance, or any part thereof, may be paid in any subsequent year in addition to the maximum amount for that year.

When bounty to cease.

6. No bounty shall be authorized to be paid on black steel sheets or galvanized sheets made after the thirtieth day of September, One thousand nine hundred and twenty-three.

Proof of good quality and compliance with Act to be furnished.

7. No bounty shall be authorized to be paid to any person other than the manufacturer of the black steel sheets or galvanized sheets, nor unless the manufacturer thereof furnishes proof to the satisfaction of the Minister that the goods in respect of which bounty is claimed are of good and merchantable quality, and that the requirements of this Act and the regulations have been complied with.

Audit of books &c., of company claiming bounty.

8. The accounts, books and documents of any person, firm, or company claiming bounty under this Act shall be subject to examination and audit by an auditor appointed or authorized by the Minister.

Reduction of bounty where profits exceed fifteen per centum.

9. If the net profits of any person, firm or company claiming bounty under this Act exceed, in any year, fifteen per centum on the capital employed in the business, the Minister may withhold so much of the bounty payable as will reduce the net profits for that year to fifteen per centum on the capital employed in the business.

Conditions of employment and rates of wages.

10.—(1.) The Minister may make application to the President of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration for a declaration as to what wages and conditions of employment are fair and reasonable for labour employed in the manufacture of black steel sheets or galvanized sheets.

(2.) On the hearing and determination of the application, the President shall have all the powers which under the Excise Procedure Act 1907 belong to the President of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, and all witnesses and persons summoned to appear or appearing before him shall be entitled to the same privileges and protection, and be subject to the same liabilities and penalties, as witnesses or persons summoned to appear or appearing before the President on an application within the meaning of that Act, and the provisions of that Act shall, so far as they are applicable, apply accordingly, mutatis mutandis, as if the application were an application within the meaning of that Act.

(3.) Every person who claims the bounty payable under this Act shall, in making his claim, certify to the Minister the conditions

of employment and the rates of wages paid to any labour employed by him other than the labour of members of his family.

(4.) If the Minister finds that the rates of wages and conditions of employment or any of them—

(a) are below the rates and conditions declared, as in the first sub-section of this section mentioned, to be fair and reasonable; or

(b) are below the standard rates and conditions of employment prescribed by the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration,

the Minister may withhold the whole or any part of the bounty payable.

Offences against Act.

11. No person shall—

(a) obtain any bounty which is not payable;

(b) obtain payment of the bounty by means of any false or misleading statement; or

(c) present to any officer doing duty in relation to this Act or the regulations, any document, or make to any such officer any statement, which is false in any particular.

Penalty: One hundred pounds or imprisonment for twelve months.

Return to be laid before Parliament.

12. A return setting forth—

(a) the names of all persons to whom bounty was paid during the preceding financial year;

(b) the amounts of all such bounty;

(c) the names of the places and States in which the goods were produced; and

(d) the number of persons employed in each of the works, wages paid, and hours observed in the production of the goods,

shall be prepared in the month of July in each year and shall be laid before both Houses of the Parliament within thirty days after its preparation if the Parliament is then sitting, and, if not, then within thirty days after the next meeting thereof.

Regulations.

13. The Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters which by this Act are required or permitted to be prescribed or are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for giving effect to this Act and in particular for any of the following purposes:—

(a) For prescribing the minimum quantity of black steel sheets or galvanized sheets to be manufactured to entitle the manufacturer to claim the bounty;

(b) for prescribing the proportion in which bounty shall be payable to claimants who have complied with the prescribed conditions, in cases where there is not sufficient money available to pay the full bounty in respect of all the claims; and

(c) for providing for the inspection of the process or manufacture for the purpose of ascertaining and reporting on the cost of production and manufacture.

THE SCHEDULE.