1964 Bulk Handing of Grain Act Amendment Bill

p1350 Bulk Handling of Grain Bill. [COUNCIL.]

Second Reading.

The Hon. Sir LYELL McEWIN (Chief Secretary): I move:

That this Bill be now read a second time.

It effects two amendments of substance to the principal Act. The first is contained in clause 4, which inserts into the principal Act a new section 4c authorizing the Treasurer to give a further guarantee to the Commonwealth Trading Bank of £500,000. The terms of the new section are identical with those of the existing sections 4, 4a and 4b. In connection with this amendment I should point out to honourable members that the bank approved in March of this year of a further advance of £1,000,000 to the company for the purpose of building bulk barley silos. The bank attached the usual condition to the advance, namely that the State Government should guarantee up to £500,000. The company has for some time been negotiating with the Australian Barley Board for a scheme for the bulk handling of barley in this State and such a scheme will be introduced indeed, the other amendments of substance to the principal Act deal partly with the matter. Bulk barley storages have already been erected at Port Adelaide, Wallaroo and Port Lincoln and the company proposes-to erect further silos in country barley and wheat centres.

The object of the remainder of the Bill can be summarized in a few words, it is to empower the company to receive, store, handle, transport and deliver not only wheat but also barley and oats. At the same time, the Bill will confer on the company sole rights in respect of barley as it now has in respect of wheat. It will not have sole rights in respect of oats, because this grain is not the subject of statutory schemes as the other two grains are.

What I have said indicates in brief terms the object of clauses 3 and 5 to 15 inclusive of the Bill. I shall not weary honourable members with an explanation of every clause, since most of the amendments are of a drafting and consequential nature as, for example, clauses 3, 6, 10, 12, 13 and 15. Clauses 5, 8 and 9 of the Bill repeal obsolete provisions The principal amendments to the principal Act relating to its extension to barley and oats are made by clauses 7 and 14.

Clause 7 amends section 12 of the principal Act, mainly subsection (1) of that sections which gives the company the sole right of receiving, storing, handling, transporting and delivering wheat in bulk within the State. After the word (‘wheat’ in subsection (1) the words ‘and barley’ are inserted. The remaining amendments made by clause 7 are of a consequential nature, having the effect of bringing in the necessary references to barley and the Barley Board, and making provision for maltsters to erect bulk handling facilities for barley to be used in the course of their business, the amendment being along similar lines to paragraph (c) of the present section 12(2) which preserves the rights of millers in regard to wheat.

Clause 14 amends section 33 of the principal Act, which at present empowers the company to handle bagged wheat or any other grain in bulk. The section, as amended will permit the company to handle bagged wheat or bagged barley or oats in bulk. Paragraph 3 of clause 14 will insert a new subsection at the end of section 33 along the same lines as subsection (2), but applying to bagged barley. The effect of subsections (2) and (3) will be ?

(incomplete)

The company will

Bagged wheat or

Where no license

Barley merchants

Of receiving wheat

The only other

It is necessary for

By clause 11 where

Action requires

Bulk handling

But only where it