SUGAR BOUNTY.
No. 23 of 1905.
An Act to provide for a Bounty to Growers of
Sugarcane and Beet.
[Assented to 21st December, 1905.]
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.
1. This
Act may be cited as the Sugar Bounty Act 1905.
Definitions.
2.In
this Act, unless the contrary intention appears :—
“Coloured
labour” includes all forms of coloured labour whether half-caste or of full
blood.
“White-grown
cane or beet” means sugar-cane or beet produced on a white plantation and in
the production of which white labour only has been employed—
(a) after the first day of January One
thousand nine hundred and seven, or
(b) for a period of twelve months
immediately preceding the delivery thereof for manufacture, or
(c)
in the case of cane cut in the year One thousand nine hundred and six, after
the expiration of one month after the commencement of this Act.
“White
plantation” means a plantation particularized in a notice of intention to claim
bounty whether given in pursuance of the regulations in force under this Act or
the Sugar Bounty Act 1903.
Bounty on white-grown cane or beet.
3.After
the first day of January One thousand nine hundred and seven, there shall be
paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated
accordingly, to every grower of white-grown cane or beet within the
Commonwealth a bounty, at the rates provided by this Act, on all such cane or
beet delivered for manufacture after that date and before the first day of
January One thousand nine hundred and thirteen.
Owner deemed to be employed in production.
4.The
occupier, and the lessee of any plantation on which any sugar-cane or beet is
produced shall be deemed to have been employed in the production of all
sugar-cane or beet produced thereon.
Bounty not payable in certain cases.
5.Bounty
shall not be claimable or payable in the case of sugarcane or beet produced on
any white plantation by any person who has obtained bounty under this Act in
respect of sugar-cane or beet produced on the plantation and has afterwards
employed coloured labour in the cultivation of sugar-cane or beet on such
plantation.
Provided that the Minister may, if he is
satisfied that coloured labour was unavoidably employed to save the crop
growing thereon, from destruction by flood or fire exempt any sugar-cane or
beet from this section subject to such conditions as he directs, or as are
prescribed.
Rates of bounty.
6.The
rates of bounty payable under this Act shall be as follows :—
(a) In the case of sugar-cane—six
shillings per ton calculated on cane giving ten per centum of sugar, to be
increased or decreased proportionately according to any variation from this
standard; and
(b) In the case of beet—sixty shillings
per ton on the actual sugar giving contents of the beet.
Provided that the rates
payable on all such cane or beet delivered during the years 1911 and 1912 shall
be respectively two-thirds and one-third of the aforesaid rates.
Average sugar-giving contents may be
taken.
7.It
may be prescribed by regulation that the average sugar giving contents of the
sugar-cane or beet in any particular district shall, for the purposes of this
Act, be taken to be the sugar-giving contents of each lot of sugar-cane or beet
in that district.
Allowance of bounties.
8.All
bounties shall be allowed at the time of the delivery of the sugar-cane or beet
for manufacture upon the ascertainment in manner prescribed of the sugar-giving
contents.
Rate of wages paid to be certified.
9.Every
grower of white-grown sugar who claims the bounty payable under this Act shall,
in making such claim, certify to the Minister the rate of wages paid to any
labour employed by him, other than the labour of members of his family. If the
Minister finds that such rate of wages is below the standard rate, paid in the
district in which the sugar is grown, to similar white labour engaged in that
industry; then the Minister may withhold the whole or any part of the bounty
payable.
Employment of aboriginals.
10.The
employment of any aboriginal native of Australia in the growing of sugar-cane
or beet shall not prejudice any claim to bounty under this Act.
Bounty under Act of 1903.
11. Notwithstanding
anything in the Sugar Bounty Act 1903,
the bounty under that Act shall be payable to the grower of any sugar-cane or
beet in the production of which white labour only within the meaning of this
Act has been employed after the commencement of this Act.
Special permits for employment of white
half-castes.
12.The
Minister may in special cases, if he is satisfied that there are special
circumstances rendering it desirable for him so to do,, permit any half-caste
born in Australia having one white parent to be
employed on a white plantation and thereupon such half-caste may be
so employed without prejudice to any claim for bounty in respect of sugar-cane
or beet produced on the plantation.
Regulations.
13.