Charges for expenses9
1
For the purposes of enabling them to meet their administrative and other expenses incurred or to be incurred in the exercise of their functions the Council may, with the approval of the Minister and subject to paragraph (2) below, impose on every grower–
a
an annual charge at a rate not exceeding twenty-five pounds in respect of each hectare of land occupied by him for the purpose of business in the industry and planted with apple or pear trees, or,
b
where the average density of planting on such land is less than 125 trees per hectare and the grower so elects, an annual charge in respect of every 50 trees at the rate of two fifths of the charge imposed under the preceding sub paragraph.
2
For the purpose of computing amounts payable under paragraph (1) above headlands shall be included but fractions of less than each complete one-tenth of a hectare or any remainder after the number of trees have been divided by 50 shall be ignored.
3
Where two or more persons jointly carry on business in the industry, they shall, for the purpose of calculating any charge payable by them in respect of land used in the joint business, be treated as constituting a single person.
4
Every charge imposed in accordance with the provisions of this article shall be payable on such date or dates as the Council may determine at the office of the Council, and it shall be a debt due to the Council and shall be recoverable as such.