TASMANIA GRANT.
No. 22 of 1913.
An Act to grant and apply out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund the sum of Four hundred thousand pounds for the purposes of further Financial Assistance to the State of Tasmania.
[Assented to 19th December, 1913.]
Preamble.
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 Tasmania Grant Act 1913.
Appropriation of £400,000 for further financial assistance to Tasmania.
2. Subject to this Act, there shall be payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is hereby appropriated accordingly, for the purposes of further financial assistance to the State of Tasmania, the sum of Four hundred thousand pounds.
Payments to extend over period of nine years.
3.—(1.) Payments of the said sum of Four hundred thousand pounds shall extend over a period of nine years according to the scale in the Schedule so that in each financial year mentioned in the first column of the Schedule there shall be paid the sum set opposite to that financial year in the second column of the Schedule.
(2.) The amount payable in any year shall be paid in equal monthly instalments.
THE SCHEDULE.
Financial Year. | Amount Payable. |
| £ |
1913-14.............................. | 5,000 |
1914-15.............................. | 15,000 |
1915-16.............................. | 25,000 |
1916-17.............................. | 35,000 |
1917-18.............................. | 45,000 |
1918-19.............................. | 55,000 |
1919-20.............................. | 65,000 |
1920-21.............................. | 75,000 |
1921-22.............................. | 80,000 |
Overview
The Tasmania Grant Act 1913 was enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia to provide financial assistance to the State of Tasmania. This Act was passed to address the financial needs of Tasmania by appropriating £400,000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund over a period of nine years. The primary purpose of this legislation was to provide a structured financial aid package to Tasmania, ensuring that the state received incremental payments each financial year, starting at £5,000 in 1913-14 and increasing annually to £80,000 by 1921-22. The payments were to be made in equal monthly instalments, facilitating better financial planning and stability for the state.
This legislation, assented to on 19th December, 1913, was a response to the financial challenges faced by Tasmania at the time, aiming to support the state's development and infrastructure by providing a steady financial resource over the specified period. The structured approach to the grant payments ensured predictability and continuity in financial support, addressing the immediate financial concerns of the state within the framework of federal-state financial relations.
Scope and Application
The Tasmania Grant Act 1913 is a legislative instrument enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia to provide financial assistance to the State of Tasmania. The Act allocates £400,000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, to be disbursed over a period of nine years to support Tasmania's financial needs. This Act applies exclusively to the State of Tasmania and its financial requirements, and the payments are scheduled to be made in equal monthly instalments as outlined in the attached schedule. The Act does not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds, and it does not extend or restrict its application through subordinate instruments. The Act is a Commonwealth Act, thereby having national jurisdiction and applying throughout the entire Commonwealth of Australia.
Key Provisions
The Tasmania Grant Act 1913 (sections 1-3) establishes the appropriation of £400,000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the financial assistance of the State of Tasmania. The Act is straightforward in its purpose: it authorises the disbursement of this sum over a period of nine years, as detailed in the accompanying schedule. Each financial year from 1913-14 to 1921-22 has a specified amount that is to be paid, increasing incrementally each year until the total of £400,000 is reached. The payments are to be made in equal monthly instalments, as stipulated in section 3(2).
The obligations imposed by the Act are primarily on the Commonwealth government, which is tasked with the disbursement of the funds according to the outlined schedule. The Act does not specify the conditions or purposes for which the funds should be used, leaving it to the discretion of the Tasmanian government. The Commonwealth’s role is limited to ensuring the payments are made as scheduled, with no further conditions or oversight mechanisms provided within the Act.
As for the consequences of non-compliance, the Act does not explicitly state any offences, penalties, or civil or criminal consequences for failure to meet the payment obligations. Given its nature as an appropriation bill, the primary remedy in the event of non-compliance would likely be financial recourse through legal means, although such specific details are not provided within the text of the Act. The Act’s focus is primarily on the allocation and disbursement of funds, with the expectation that the Commonwealth will fulfil its obligation as detailed.