Papua and New Guinea Bounties Act 1926

Overview

The Papua and New Guinea Bounties Act 1926 was enacted to provide for the payment of bounties on specific goods that were the produce of the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea, to be imported into Australia for home consumption. This Act was introduced to stimulate the economies of these territories by encouraging the production and export of specific goods. Enacted by the Commonwealth Parliament, the policy objective was to promote economic development in Papua and New Guinea through financial incentives for exporters of designated goods. The Act appropriates a sum of Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds over ten years, with an annual limit of Twenty-five thousand pounds, to be disbursed as bounties for goods listed in the Schedule, subject to certain conditions such as the period of import and direct importation from the territories of origin. The Act also outlines procedures for bounty claims, penalties for false claims, and mandates the Minister to require necessary information to verify claims.

Scope and Application

The Papua and New Guinea Bounties Act 1926 is an Australian federal Act that applies to certain goods imported into the Commonwealth of Australia from the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea, specifically those listed in the Act's schedule. The Act provides for the payment of bounties on these goods, provided they are imported for home consumption within the specified period and are directly imported from the territory in which they were produced. The Act mandates that the bounty claimant must present a certificate from the principal officer of Customs at the port of shipment in the exporting territory, verifying that the goods are indeed the produce of the specified territories. The Minister has the authority to request additional information to ensure the accuracy of any bounty claims. The bounty is payable only to the exporter or their authorised agent, and the Act sets out strict penalties for fraudulent claims, including fines and imprisonment. The Act also requires the Minister to prepare and present an annual report to Parliament detailing the bounty payments made, including the names of recipients and the amounts paid. The Act authorises the Governor-General to issue regulations to facilitate its implementation, particularly in managing bounty distribution when funds are insufficient to cover all claims.

Key Provisions

The Papua and New Guinea Bounties Act 1926 (sections 1 to 10) provides for the payment of bounties on certain goods that are the produce of the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea. The Act allocates a total of Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds over a period of ten years, commencing on the first day of January 1927, to be paid as bounties (section 2). The maximum annual bounty payment is set at Twenty-five thousand pounds (section 3(1)), with any unused portion of the annual maximum being transferable to the next year (section 3(2)). The Act specifies the types of goods eligible for bounties, as outlined in the Schedule, which includes cocoa beans, cocoa shells, fibres, sago, vanilla beans, bamboos and rattans, spices, and kapok, among others (section 4). Claimants must provide a certificate signed by the principal officer of Customs at the port of shipment, confirming that the goods are the produce of the respective territory (section 5). The Minister has the authority to request any necessary information to verify the accuracy of any certificate or other details in support of a bounty claim (section 6). Only the exporter or their authorised agent is eligible to receive a bounty payment (section 7). The Papua and New Guinea Bounties Act 1926 imposes specific obligations on claimants and other parties involved in the bounty process. Claimants are required to provide the necessary certificate from the port of shipment and any additional information requested by the Minister to substantiate their claim for bounty (sections 5 and 6). Exporters or their authorised agents must ensure that the goods are imported directly from the territory of origin within the specified period, as outlined in the Schedule, to be eligible for the bounty (section 4(b)). The Act mandates that a detailed return be prepared annually, listing the names of all individuals who received bounty payments during the preceding financial year, along with the amount paid to each, and that this return be submitted to both Houses of Parliament within the specified timeframe (section 9). The Papua and New Guinea Bounties Act 1926 outlines several offences and penalties for violations. Obtaining a bounty that is not payable, making false or misleading statements to secure a bounty, or presenting false or misleading documents to an officer or person involved in the bounty process are all considered offences under this Act (section 8). The penalty for such offences is a fine of One hundred pounds or imprisonment for twelve months (section 8). Furthermore, the Governor-General has the authority to create regulations that are consistent with the Act, which may include provisions for the distribution of bounties when there are insufficient funds to cover all eligible claims (section 10).