BOUNTIES.

No. 12 of 1907.

An Act to provide for the Payment of Bounties on the Production of certain Goods.

[Assented to 28th November, 1907.]

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 Bounties Act 1907.

Appropriation for payment of bounties.

2.  There shall be payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated accordingly, the sum of Three hundred and thirty-nine thousand pounds during the period of fifteen years commencing on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and seven, for the payment of bounties in accordance with this Act.

Specification of bounties.

3.—(1.)     The bounties under this Act shall be payable on the production in Australia of the goods specified in the first column of the First Schedule.

Provided that, in the case of fish preserved as prescribed, the fish have been caught by white labour only in such waters and under such conditions as may be prescribed, and, in the case of other manufactured goods, the goods have been made from Australian products.

(2.)  The bounties shall be payable to the growers or producers only of the goods or the materials of which they are made, and not to manufacturers.

Provided that, in the case of fish preserved as prescribed, and of fruit dried or candied, and of combed wool or tops, the manufacturer shall be deemed to be the producer, and the bounty shall be payable to the manufacturer only.

(3.)  In order to entitle growers or producers to bounty the goods in respect of which the bounty is claimed must be grown or produced, and the claim for bounty must be made, within the periods specified in the second column of the First Schedule.

(4.)  The bounties shall be payable at the rates specified in the third column of the First Schedule.

(5.)  The maximum amounts of bounty which may be paid in any one year in respect of any goods specified in the First Schedule shall be as specified in the fourth column of the First Schedule. Provided that, where the maximum amount in respect of any item has not been paid in any year, the unpaid balance, or any part thereof, may be paid in respect of that item in any subsequent year, in addition to the maximum amount for that year.

(6.)  The total amounts which may be expended under this Act in the payment of bounties from the commencement of this Act up to the several dates specified in the first column of the Second Schedule shall not exceed the amounts set opposite to those dates in the second column of that Schedule.

Conditions of bounty

4.  The bounties under this Act shall be payable in respect of goods which—

(a) are, in the opinion of the Minister, of a merchantable quality, or, in the case of food-stuffs, are of the prescribed quality, and

(b) have been grown or produced in not less than the prescribed quantity and subject to the prescribed conditions, and

(c) have been grown or produced by white labour only.

Provided that the employment of any aboriginal native of Australia or of any colored person born in Australia and having one white parent in the production of the goods shall not prejudice the claim to bounty in respect thereof.

Owner deemed employed in production.

Cf. 1905, No. 23, s. 4.

5.  The owner, occupier, or lessee of any land or factory in which the goods were grown or produced, or in which the goods have undergone any process, shall, unless the Minister in writing otherwise directs, be deemed to have been employed in the production of the goods.

Minimum rate of wages to be paid.

Cf. ib. s. 9.

6.  Every grower or producer who claims bounty under this Act shall specify the rates of wages paid in respect of the labour employed by him, other than the labour of members of his family, in growing or producing the goods, and the Minister, if he is of opinion that the rates so paid are below the standard rates paid in the place or district in which the goods are grown or produced, may withhold the whole or any part of the bounty payable.

Offences against Act

7.  No person shall—

(a) obtain any bounty which is not payable;

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

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

Penalty: One hundred pounds, or twelve months’ imprisonment.

Aiding and abetting offences.

8.  Whoever aids, abets, counsels, or procures, or by act or omission is in any way directly or indirectly knowingly concerned in, the commission of any offence against this Act, shall be deemed to have committed that offence and shall be punishable accordingly.

Regulations.

9. 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 goods to be produced to entitle the grower or producer 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;

(c) For prescribing the manner in which the market value is to be determined; and

(d) For prescribing the time within which, after the production of the raw material, the production of the goods in respect of which bounty is claimed shall be completed.

SCHEDULES.

FIRST SCHEDULES

First Schedule—continued.

SECOND SCHEDULE.