NAVIGATION.

No. 8 of 1925.

An act to amend the Navigation Act 1912–1920.

[Reserved, 20th July, 1925.]

[Royal Assent proclaimed, 13th August, 1925.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1.—(1.)   This Act may be cited as the Navigation Act 1925.

(2.)  The Navigation Act 1912–1920 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3.)  The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Navigation Act 1912–1925.

Commencement

2.   This Act shall commence on a date to be fixed by Proclamation after the King’s approval thereto has been proclaimed in the Commonwealth.

3.   After section two hundred and ninety-three of the Principal Act, the following section is inserted in Part VI.:—

Power to suspend provisions as to coasting trade.

“293a.—(1.) The Governor-General may, if at any time he considers it expedient in the public interest to do so, by Proclamation suspend, for such time as is specified in the Proclamation, the operation of any of the foregoing provisions of this Part, as regards any ship or class of ships, and either unconditionally or subject to such conditions (if any) as he thinks fit to impose.

“(2.)  A Proclamation issued in pursuance of the preceding sub-section may provide for suspension for the period specified in the Proclamation, or may provide for suspension until the issue of a Proclamation revoking the prior Proclamation.”

4.   After section four hundred and twenty-two of the Principal Act the following section is inserted:—

Dispensing power of Governor-General.

“422a.—(1.) Where the Governor-General is satisfied, as regards any ship or class of ships—

(a) that any specified requirement of this Act has been substantially complied with;

(b) that compliance with any specified requirement of this Act is, in the circumstances of the case, unnecessary; or

(c) that the action taken or provision made as regards the subject-matter of the requirement is as effective as, or more effective than, actual compliance with the requirement,

he may by order direct that compliance on the part of that ship or that class of ships with that requirement may be dispensed with.

“(2.)  Where the Governor-General is satisfied, as regards any ship or class of ships, that such circumstances exist as render compliance with any specified requirement of this Act impracticable, or make insistence upon compliance with that requirement undesirable in the public interest, he may, by order, direct that that ship or class of ships shall not be required to comply with that requirement.

“(3.)  Any dispensation or direction under this section may be unconditional or subject to such conditions, limitations and restrictions as are expressed in the order.

“(4.)  The Minister shall present to the Parliament at least once in each year a special report stating the cases in which the Governor-General has exercised his power under this section during the preceding year.”