States Grants (Secondary Schools Libraries)

No. 125 of 1968

An Act to grant Financial Assistance to the States for Libraries at Secondary Schools and for the acquisition of Library Material and Equipment for use in such Libraries.

[Assented to 3 December 1968]

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

Short title.

1.  This Act may be cited as the States Grants (Secondary Schools Libraries) Act 1968.

Commencement.

2.  This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definitions.

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

“building” includes a part of a building;

“library” means a building for the accommodation and use of books and other library material;

“library material” includes books, periodicals, newspapers, films, sound recordings, musical scores, maps, plans, pictures, photographs and prints;

“secondary school” means a school or similar institution, whether conducted by a State or not, at which some or all of the students who attend the school are taught at a secondary level of education;

“the period to which this Act applies” means the period commencing on the first day of January, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine, and ending on the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and seventy-one.

Grants for libraries and for library material and equipment.

4.—(1.)     The Minister may authorize the payment to a State, under this Act, during the period to which this Act applies, by way of financial assistance, of such amounts as, subject to the next succeeding subsection, he determines.

(2.)  The Minister shall not authorize payments to a State under the last preceding sub-section that—

(a) exceed, in the aggregate, the amount specified in the Schedule to this Act opposite to the name of the State;

(b) in the case of payments authorized on or before the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine—exceed, in the aggregate, one-third of that amount; or

(c) in the case of payments authorized on or before the thirty-first day of December, One thousand nine hundred and seventy—exceed, in the aggregate, two-thirds of that amount.

(3)     Payment of an amount to a State under this Act is subject to the condition that the amount will be applied by the State, as approved by the Minister, for purposes in connexion with libraries at secondary schools and for the acquisition of library material and equipment for use in such libraries.

Annual statement by Minister.

5.  The Minister shall cause a statement to be laid before each House of the Parliament as soon as practicable after the end of each year during the period to which this Act applies describing the arrangements in accordance with which payments under this Act have been authorized in that year and stating, in respect of each State—

(a) in relation to secondary schools not being secondary schools conducted by the State—

(i) the total amount paid to the State under this Act in that year; and

(ii) the names of the secondary schools in respect of which approvals for the application of moneys included in that amount have been given, and the amount approved for expenditure in respect of each such school; and

(b) in relation to secondary schools conducted by the State—

(i) the total amount paid to the State under this Act in that year; and

(ii) the names of the secondary schools in respect of which the State has, during that year, applied amounts paid to the State under this Act.

Appropriation.

6.  Payments under this Act shall be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.

THE SCHEDULE                                       Section 4(2.).

Limit of Grants