Chapter 143

I M P O R T E D S TO R E C AT T L E ( W E I G H I N G ) [CAP. 143. 1 CHAPTER 143 IMPORTED STORE CATTLE (WEIGHING) ACT * To make provision for establishing the fair weight of store cattle on importation. (22nd July, 1955)† ACT XXIII of 1955, as amended by Act XIII of 1983 and VIII of 1990; and Legal Notice 409 of 2007. 1. The short title of this Act is the Imported Store Cattle (Weighing) Act. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires - Short title. Interpretation. "importer" in respect of any store cattle imported into Malta, means the person who on the date of importation is the holder of a licence from the Director of Agriculture authorising him to import the cattle; "Malta" has the same meaning as is assigned to it by article 124 of the Constitution of Malta; "person" includes any partnership, firm, company, or other association of persons; "store cattle" means any animal of the bovine genus intended for slaughtering whether at or about the time of importation or after a period of fattening. 3. All cattle imported into Malta shall be deemed to be store cattle unless the importer thereof proves the contrary to the satisfaction of the Director of Agriculture. Store cattle. 4. (1) No imported store cattle may be sold or otherwise disposed of except on a basis of the live weight thereof. Sale of store cattle. (2) No imported store cattle shall be weighed for purposes of assessing import duty on same or officially for any other purpose unless the animal or animals has or have been deprived of all food and liquid for a continuous period of not less than twenty-four hours following disembarkation, provided that the weighing shall be effected as soon as may be after the expiration of the said twenty-four hours. 5. Any infringement of the provisions of article 4 shall constitute an offence punishable on conviction by a Court of Magistrates as follows hereunder: (a) in respect of a first offence against the provisions of article 4 by a fine (multa) of from fifty-eight euro and twenty-three cents (58.23) to one hundred and sixteen euro and forty-seven cents (116.47); *This Act has been repealed by Act XXXIV of 2023. †See Government Notice No. 378 of 25th July, 1955. Penalties. Amended by: XIII. 1983.5; VIII. 1990.3; L.N. 409 of 2007. 2 CAP. 143.] I M P O R T E D S TOR E C AT T L E ( W E I G H I N G ) (b) in respect of a second offence against the said provisions by a fine (multa) of from one hundred and sixteen euro and forty-seven cents (116.47) to two hundred and thirty-two euro and ninety-four cents (232.94); (c) in respect of a third or subsequent offence against the said provisions, to imprisonment for from one to three months, and to disqualification from being an importer of cattle for six months from date of conviction, without prejudice to any confirmed order authorised under a permit issued previously to that date, in which case, however, the said disqualification shall be effective in respect of any other order as from the date of conviction until the end of six months reckoned from the date of arrival in Malta of the consignment made as a result of that confirmed order or of the last of such orders if more than one. Liability. Cap 9. 6. For the purposes of this Act (a) the provision contained in article 24 of the Criminal Code shall apply; and (b) where a person convicted of an offence against any of the provisions of this Act forms part of an association of persons, every person who, at the time of the commission of the offence was a director or officer of that association shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence unless he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence.