Agriculture Act, 1931

Payment of travelling expenses to members of committees.

18.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, every committee of agriculture shall, as soon as may be after the 31st day of December and the 30th day of June in each year, pay to every member of such committee such contribution (if any) as is authorised by the rules contained in the Third Schedule to this Act towards the expenses incurred during the preceding six months by such member in attending the meetings of such committee.

(2) No contribution shall be payable under this section in respect of any period of six months ending on the 31st day of December in any year or on the 30th day of June in any year to a member of a committee of agriculture in respect of his attendance at meetings of such committee held during such period unless he has attended at least half of such meetings.

(3) The following provisions shall have effect in relation to the period commencing on the 1st day of April, 1931, and ending on the 30th day of June, 1931, that is to say:—

(a) the said period shall for the purposes of this section be deemed a period of six months; and

(b) the foregoing sub-section shall not apply in respect of the said period.

(4) Any person who knowingly makes or allows to be made a false statement for the purpose of obtaining the payment to himself or another of a sum under or in pursuance of this section, shall be guilty of an offence under this section, and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding one year.

(5) Any person who is convicted of an offence under this section shall thereafter be disqualified from being elected or being a member of any committee of agriculture or of any vocational education committee, or of any council, body, or committee which is a local authority within the meaning of the Act of 1925, and shall also be disqualified from holding any office or employment under any committee of agriculture or any vocational education committee or any such council, body, or committee as aforesaid.