Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935

Fees payable by licensees.

28.—(1) Every person who holds or has held a licence shall, for every half-year during which or any part of which he held such licence, pay to the Minister in respect of such licence a fee (in this section referred to as the bacon curer's fee) calculated at the rate of a prescribed sum (not exceeding sixpence) for every pig or carcase presented, at the premises to which such licence relates, for veterinary examination under this Part of this Act, during such half-year.

(2) As soon as may be after the expiration of every half-year the Minister shall ascertain, in respect of every person who during the whole or any part of such half-year held a licence, the amount of the bacon curer's fee payable by such person for such half-year in respect of such licence.

(3) Where a licence held by a person is revoked by the Minister under this Part of this Act, the bacon curer's fee payable by such person in respect of such licence for the half-year then current, shall, if the Minister so directs, be ascertained immediately upon such revocation and not under the foregoing sub-section.

(4) Where a licence has been held by two or more persons in succession during a half-year, such licence shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to have been held during the whole of such half-year by the person who last held the same during such half-year and not to have been held by any other person at any time during such half-year.

(5) When and so soon as the amount of any bacon curer's fee has been ascertained under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Minister shall make a certificate (in this section referred to as a certificate of indebtedness) certifying the half-year for which such fee is payable, the person by whom and the premises in respect of which, such fee is payable, and the amount of such fee.

(6) Every certificate of indebtedness shall be prima facie evidence of all matters purported to be certified therein and any document purporting to be a certificate of indebtedness issued under this section shall, on production thereof in any proceedings to recover the amount thereby certified to be payable, be deemed until the contrary is proved to be a certificate of indebtedness duly issued under this section and shall be admitted in evidence accordingly.

(7) As soon as may be after the making of a certificate of indebtedness, a copy thereof shall be served on the person thereby certified as liable to pay the amount of the bacon curer's fee mentioned therein and immediately upon such service such amount shall become and be payable by such person to the Minister and shall, after the expiration of fourteen days from such service be recoverable by the Minister as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

(8) If any licensee fails or neglects to pay the amount certified by a certificate of indebtedness to be payable by him within four weeks after the service of a copy of such certificate on him, the Minister may revoke the licence in respect of which such amount is payable, but such revocation shall not relieve such person from liability to pay the said amount.

(9) In this section the expression “half-year” means a period of six months commencing on any 1st day of January or 1st day of July.

(10) Regulations made in relation to any sum referred to in this section as prescribed shall be made with the consent of the Minister for Finance.