COMMONWEALTH AID ROADS (SPECIAL ASSISTANCE).

No. 83 of 1957.

An Act to grant further Financial Assistance to the States in connexion with Roads, and for other purposes.

[Assented to 12th December, 1957]

BE it enacted by the Queen’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 Commonwealth Aid Roads (Special Assistance) Act 1957.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definition.

3. In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears, “year” means a period commencing on a first day of July and ending on the following thirtieth day of June.

Grants to States for works on roads.

4.—(1.) In respect of each year during the period of two years that commenced on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven, there is payable to each of the States, for the purpose of financial assistance, the amount specified in the Schedule to this Act in relation to that State.

(2.) Moneys paid to a State under this section shall be expended—

(a) on the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads or on the purchase of road-making plant; or

(b) in making payments to local authorities for the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads or for the purchase of road-making plant.

Certified statement of expenditure to be furnished.

5. Every payment to a State under the last preceding section is subject to the condition that the State will, as soon as practicable after the end of each year in which any amount paid to the State under that section is expended, submit to the Minister—

(a) a statement, in accordance with a form approved by the Minister, showing particulars of the expenditure by the State in that year out of amounts so paid and of the balance of those amounts remaining unexpended at the end of that year; and

(b) a certificate by the Auditor-General for the State that the particulars shown in the statement are correct.

Expenditure for works on roads serving Commonwealth purposes.

6. In respect of each year during the period of two years that commenced on the first day of July, One thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven, the Minister may authorize the expenditure of amounts not exceeding, in the aggregate, the amount specified in the Schedule to this Act in relation to the Commonwealth on the construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of roads serving Commonwealth purposes or on the purchase of road-making plant for use in connexion with such roads.

Payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

7. Payments under this Act shall be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which is appropriated accordingly.

THE SCHEDULE. Sections 4 and 6.