Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts

MERCANTILE LAW ACT 1962 - NOTES

Note 2     For example, the Legislation Act, dict, pt 1, defines the following terms:

              •     ACT

              •     daily newspaper

              •     document

              •     function

              •     under

              •     writing.

"advance", for part 2 (Mercantile agents)—see section 4.

"document of title", for part 2 (Mercantile agents)—see section 4.

"lien", for part 6 (Warehouse persons' liens)—see section 17.

"mercantile agent", for part 2 (Mercantile agents)—see section 4.

"pledge", for part 2 (Mercantile agents)—see section 4.

"warehouse person", for part 6 (Warehouse persons' liens)—see section 17.

Endnotes

1     About the endnotes

Amending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the amendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law but are set out in the endnotes.

Not all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are annotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be obtained from the Parliamentary Counsel's Office.

Uncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details of these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are underlined in the legislation history and amendment history.

If all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered provisions gives details of previous and current numbering.

The endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.

2     Abbreviation key

A = Act	NI = Notifiable instrument
AF = Approved form	o = order
am = amended	om = omitted/repealed
amdt = amendment	ord = ordinance
AR = Assembly resolution	orig = original
ch = chapter	par = paragraph/subparagraph
CN = Commencement notice	pres = present
def = definition	prev = previous
DI = Disallowable instrument	(prev...) = previously
dict = dictionary	pt = part
disallowed = disallowed by the Legislative	r = rule/subrule
Assembly	reloc = relocated
div = division	renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired	R[X] = Republication No
Gaz = gazette	RI = reissue
hdg = heading	s = section/subsection
IA = Interpretation Act 1967	sch = schedule
ins = inserted/added	sdiv = subdivision
LA = Legislation Act 2001	SL = Subordinate law
LR = legislation register	sub = substituted
LRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996	underlining = whole or part not commenced
mod = modified/modification	or to be expired

3     Legislation history

This Act was originally a Commonwealth ordinance—the Mercantile Ordinance 1962 (Cwlth).

The Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cwlth), s 34 (4) converted most former Commonwealth ordinances in force in the ACT into ACT enactments. This allowed the ACT Legislative Assembly to amend and repeal the laws. This Act was converted into an ACT enactment on 11 May 1989 (self-government day).

As with most ordinances in force in the ACT, the name was changed from Ordinance to Act by the Self-Government (Citation of Laws) Act 1989 No 21, s 5 on 11 May 1989 (self-government day).

Before 11 May 1989, ordinances commenced on their notification day unless otherwise stated (see Seat of Government (Administration) Act 1910 (Cwlth), s 12).

    Legislation before becoming Territory enactment

Mercantile Law Act 1962 No 4

notified 12 April 1962

commenced 12 April 1962

as amended by

Ordinances Revision (Decimal Currency) Ordinance 1966 No 19

notified 23 December 1966

commenced 23 December 1966

Ordinances Revision Ordinance 1977 No 65

notified 22 December 1977

commenced 22 December 1977

Ordinances Revision Ordinance 1978 No 46

notified 28 December 1978

commenced 28 December 1978

Magistrates Court Ordinance 1985 No 67

notified 19 December 1985

commenced 1 February 1986 (Cwlth Gaz 1986 No G3)

    Legislation after becoming Territory enactment

Magistrates and Coroner's Courts (Registrar) Act 1991 No 44 s 7, sch 1

notified 20 September 1991 (Gaz 1991 No S95)

s 1, s 2 commenced 20 September 1991 ( s 2 (1))

s 7 (2), sch 1 commenced 25 September 1991 (s 2 (2) and Gaz 1991 No S103)

Financial Management and Audit (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 1996 No 26 sch pt 18

notified 1 July 1996 (Gaz 1996 No S130)

commenced 1 July 1996 (s 2)

Uncollected Goods (Consequential Provisions) Act 1996 No 87 s 4

notified 20 December 1996 (Gaz 1996 No S328)

s 1, s 2 commenced 20 December 1996 (s 2 (1))

s 4 commenced 19 March 1998 (s 2 (2) and see Gaz 1998 No 1997 No S71)

Statute Law Revision (Penalties) Act 1998 No 54 sch

notified 27 November 1998 (Gaz 1998 No S207)

s 1, s 2 commenced 27 November 1998 (s 2 (1))

sch commenced 9 December 1998 (s 2 (2) and Gaz 1998 No 49)

Legislation (Consequential Amendments) Act 2001 No 44 pt 251

notified 26 July 2001 (Gaz 2001 No 30)

s 1, s 2 commenced 26 July 2001 (IA s 10B)

pt 251 commenced 12 September 2001 (s 2 and see Gaz 2001 No S65)

Criminal Code Harmonisation Act 2005 A2005-54 sch 1 pt 1.31

notified LR 27 October 2005

s 1, s 2 commenced 27 October 2005 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 1 pt 1.31 commenced 24 November 2005 (s 2)

Statute Law Amendment Act 2005 (No 2) A2005-62 sch 3 pt 3.15

notified LR 21 December 2005

s 1, s 2 commenced 21 December 2005 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 3 pt 3.15 commenced 11 January 2006 (s 2 (1))

Statute Law Amendment Act 2009 A2009-20 sch 3 pt 3.54

notified LR 1 September 2009

s 1, s 2 commenced 1 September 2009 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 3 pt 3.54 commenced 22 September 2009 (s 2)

Personal Property Securities Act 2010 A2010-15 sch 3 pt 3.2

notified LR 1 April 2010

s 1, s 2 commenced 1 April 2010 (LA s 75 (1))

sch 3 pt 3.2 commenced 30 January 2012 (s 2 (2) (b))

4     Amendment history

Name of Act
s 1     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.144

Dictionary
s 2     om 1977 No 65
    ins A2005-54 amdt 1.223
    om R5 LA
    ins A2005-62 amdt 3.144

Notes
s 3     orig s 3 om 2001 No 44 amdt 1.2889
    prev s 3 renum as s 3A
    ins A2005-62 amdt 3.144

Offences against Act—application of Criminal Code etc
s 3A     (prev s 3) ins A2005-54 amdt 1.223
    renum R5 LA

Definitions for pt 2
s 4     def document of title sub A2005-62 amdt 3.145
    def mercantile agent sub A2005-62 amdt 3.146
    def pledge am A2005-62 amdt 3.147

Powers of mercantile agent
s 6     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.148

Presumptions
s 7     am A2005-62 amdts 3.149-3.151

Pledge by way of exchange
s 8     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.152

Pledge for existing debt
s 9     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.152

Saving for common law powers of mercantile agents
s 11     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.153

Consideration for guarantee
s 12     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.154

Maximum rate of interest
s 14     am 1966 No 19; A2005-62 amdt 3.155

Debts and contracts of children
s 15     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.156

Representations of character etc
s 16     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.157

Definitions for pt 6
s 17     am 1985 No 67
    def court om A2005-62 amdt 3.158

Charges covered by lien
s 19     am A2005-62 amdt 3.159

Notice by warehouse person
s 20     am A2010-15 amdt 3.2

Notice by person depositing goods
s 21     am 1966 No 19; 1998 No 54 sch
    sub A2005-54 amdt 1.224

Power to sell goods
s 22     am 1996 No 87 s 4

Sale of goods to be advertised
s 23     om 1996 No 87 s 4

Stay of proceedings to sell
s 24     om 1996 No 87 s 4

Payment of charges before sale
s 25     am 1966 No 19
    om 1996 No 87 s 4

No action by reason of sale
s 26     om 1996 No 87 s 4

Disposition of proceeds of sale
s 27     am 1966 No 19; 1991 No 44; 1996 No 26 sch pt 18
    om 1996 No 87 s 4

Service of notice by warehouse person
s 28     sub A2005-62 amdt 3.160
    am A2009-20 amdt 3.143

Notice provisions—substantial compliance
s 29     am 1978 No 46

Application of pt 6
s 30     om A2005-62 amdt 3.161

Laws ceasing to be in force
sch     om 2001 No 44 amdt 1.2890

Dictionary
dict     ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162
    am A2009-20 amdt 3.144
    def advance ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162
    def document of title ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162
    def lien ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162
    def mercantile agent ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162
    def pledge ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162
    def warehouse person ins A2005-62 amdt 3.162

5     Earlier republications

Some earlier republications were not numbered. The number in column 1 refers to the publication order.

Since 12 September 2001 every authorised republication has been published in electronic pdf format on the ACT legislation register. A selection of authorised republications have also been published in printed format. These republications are marked with an asterisk (*) in column 1. Electronic and printed versions of an authorised republication are identical.

Republication No	Amendments to	Republication date
1	Act 1991 No 44	30 September 1991
2	Act 1996 No 87	31 January 1998
3	A2001-44	4 January 2002
4	A2005-54	24 November 2005
5	A2005-62	11 January 2006
6	A2009-20	22 September 2009

© Australian Capital Territory 2012

Australian Capital Territory

A1962-4

Republication No 7

Effective: 30 January 2012

Republication date: 30 January 2012

Last amendment made by A2010-15





Unauthorised version prepared by ACT Parliamentary Counsel's Office

About this republication

The republished law

This is a republication of the Mercantile Law Act 1962

(including any amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes)) as in force on 30 January 2012

. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting this republished law to 30 January 2012

.

The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3 and 4.

Kinds of republications

The Parliamentary Counsel's Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT legislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au):

              • authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies

              • unauthorised republications.

The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication. Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.

This republication includes amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).

Uncommenced provisions and amendments

If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol  U  appears immediately before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law are accessible on the ACT legislation register (www.legislation.act.gov.au). For more information, see the home page for this law on the register.

Modifications

If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the symbol  M  appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation Act 2001, section 95.

Penalties

At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $110 for an individual and $550 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).

Australian Capital Territory

Mercantile Law Act 1962

Endnotes20

Mercantile Law Act 1962