The idea of the amendments is as follows:—A preliminary fee has to be paid before the registration as the Bill stands. It is quite possible that an owner might apply for registration, and after the application has been considered for a few months decline to be registered and all the trouble would have gone for nothing. The preliminary fee is merely £1, and the amendment provides that this fee shall be paid before entertainment so as to guarantee the bona fides of the applicant.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE (EGGS) BILL, 1924—REPORT STAGE.
Government amendment:—
Section 9, sub-section (1). To delete in lines 9-10 the words "registration of premises" and to substitute therefor the words "entertainment of the application by the Minister."
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
That is before the entertainment of the application, not before the entertainment by the Minister.
It is the same thing.
Amendment put, and agreed to.
Government amendment.
Section 9, sub-section (2). Immediately before sub-section (2) to insert a new sub-section (2) as follows:—
(2) There shall be paid to the Minister by the person applying for registration of any premises in the register of exporters the deposit specified in the Schedule to this Act on account of the first annual fee payable in respect of such premises, and the payment of such deposit shall be a condition precedent to the registration of the premises.
This amendment does not propose to change the amount paid but to change the method of payment. Under the Bill as it stands the fee must be paid beforehand, and is paid on the estimate of the total quantity of eggs exported. We changed that for the benefit of the trade, and we are making the payment at the beginning a payment of a deposit of £5 instead of a total payment.
Amendment put, and agreed to.
Government amendment:—
Section 9, sub-sections (3) and (4). To delete the sub-sections and to substitute the following two new sub-sections therefor:—
(3) The first annual fee to be paid by the registered proprietor of any premises registered in the register of exporters shall be calculated on the quantity of eggs, ascertained in the prescribed manner, exported from such premises during the period between the completion of the registration and the end of the calendar year in which the premises were registered and shall become due on the 31st day of December of that year, and the difference between such fee and the deposit paid on account thereof as aforesaid shall be paid by or returned to (as the case may require) the registered proprietor before the 17th day of March in the year next following.
(4) Every subsequent annual fee shall become due on the 31st day of December in the year in respect of which such fee is payable and shall be paid before the 17th day of March in the year next following and shall be calculated on the quantity of eggs, ascertained in the prescribed manner, exported from the registered premises in the year in respect of which the fee is payable.
The effect of these sub-sections is that the fee shall be paid at the end of the year instead of at the beginning. The fee shall become payable on the 31st December, and be in respect of the year then ending, and be payable before the 17th March of the following year. As the Bill stood, the fee had to be paid beforehand on an estimate and adjustments had to be made afterwards.
Amendment put and agreed to.
Government amendment:—
In Section 9, sub-section 5:—
To delete all after the words "annual fee" in line 30 to the end of line 39, and to substitute therefor the words "payable in respect of that year shall be calculated accordingly."
This is consequential.
Amendment put and agreed to.
Government amendment:—
Schedule. page 11, immediately after line 44, to insert the words:—
"Deposit on application for registration in the register of exporters ... Five Pounds."
Amendment put and agreed to.
AN CATHAOIRLEACH
That concludes the business on the Order Paper save with regard to items 16 and 17. By arrangement the discussion on item 16 was fixed definitely for 3 o'clock.
The Sitting was suspended at 12.25 p.m. until 3 p.m.
The Sitting was resumed at 3 p.m.,
AN CATHAOIRLEACH in the Chair.