WAR REGULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2902, 14 October 1916, Page 7

WAR REGULATIONS

BLOCKING ENEMY TRADE PEMA.it! ES -FOR WAR ; COiNTR.ACTORS. Addition:! I regulations relating to enemy trade arc contained ui a, "Gazette Extraordinary" issued last nigh t. They provide that "certificates of origin and interest" must be produced in rcspect of all-goods imported into Isflw ZealandVfroni .certain neutral countries -througli - whicli.' enemy"' trade passes,.'liamely, Norway,' Sweden, DenniarJc', Holland,' riral Switzerland. "Certificates of interest" are requirett in respect of goods imported into the Dominion from all countries except Franco, Italy, Russia, Japan, Rumania, Portugal. China, Siam, Hayti, the United States' of America, and French possessions' -in'the Pacific; Certificates Defined. 'A "certificate of origin and interest" is a certificate issued by a British Consular officer in the country from which the goods havo been imported to the effect that it lias been' proved to bis satisfaction that the. goods have not beon produced or manufactured in enemy territory, and. that no pererin who is an enemy or is treated as an enemy under any law or proclamation for the time being in force .in the United Kingdom relating to trading with the enemy or with persons or enemy nationality or association has any interest in the goods. A "certificate of interest" is . a certificate issued by a British Consular officer in the country from which the goods have been imported to the .effect that it lias been proved to his satisfaction that no person who is an enemy or is treated as an enemy under any law or proclamation for. the time being in :force' in the United Kingdom relating to trading with the enemy or witli persons of enemy nationality or association lias any interest in the goods. .: Detention of Cootls. The regulations empower Collectors of .Customs to detain suspected . imports until certificates are produced, or .until the. importers liave shown, that lio certificates are required. When goods are so detained notice will be served upon the importer or his agent, and it will not then be lawful "for the importer or any other person, without the written consent of the Comptroller of Customs,, to pay or remit to any parson any sum of money in respect of the purchase or consignment of those goods, or to accept, make, pay, negotiate, or otherwise deiil ivit.li any bill of exchange or other negotiable instrument for tho price of those goods- or, other .vise having relation thereto." If goods are detained aa being uih ' certificated,- and • the. Comptroller of Customs is'satisfied that the failure to secure tho requisite certificate was not wilful 011 tho part of the importer, ho may allow the goods to be delivered to the importer on payment of a .penalty not 'exceeding 'ten per cent, .of tho market value of the goods.

Closing tho Door. A' now rule provides that "goods shall be deemed"to be imported from any country in which they have been wholly or partially manufactured or produced, or in which any person from or through, whom/they have'been procurer'has his. chief/place/bf ..^business." 'The existing . regulations ara made' •more stringent .by ;the following .provi-. • sion :—"-Whenever'.' b'y'r/ virtue, of. .;tho War" Regulations "or" any declaration made thereunder, whether before or after the date of the present regulations, it is unlawful to purchase goods TTom any person, it sliall also bo unlawful..to purchase or otherwise ..procure from any other person, being or carrying;, on .business ;out.-of 'New* Zealand," any goods wholly oi-partly manufactured or produced by, or sold by,or procured from or through such firstmentioned person." •

War Contracts. ' The liability of persons holding war contracts- is extended by the following regulations:— "Every person who (whether before or after the coming into operation of these regulations) lias made any . contract with au army contractor in respect of or for tho purposes of an army contract mado by that army contractor, and who commits any wilful breach of tho contract .so mado by him with tho army contractor, whereby wilful or not, is committed by the army contractor, shall be guilty of au offence against tho War Regulations Act, 1914, and shall bo liable accordingly.

"Without in''any manner limiting tho generality of tho foregoing provisions, every person who, being in the employment of au army contractor, wilfully commits any breach of his contract of service, Whereby or in conscqueuco of which ally breach of an army contract, whether wilful or not, is committed by the army contractor, or commits or is a party to any wilful act or default with intent that' any such breach of au army contract shall bo committed by the army contractor, shall be guilty of an oQ'enco against the War Regulations Act, 1914, and'shall be liable-accordingly: "Nothing in theso regulations shall iii aiiy nianner restrict- or afi'cct the operation" of'aiiy other War. Regulations relative to contracts inado with the Crown." •

The effect of these provisions is to mako- a contractor, who may. be guilty of a wilful breach of a war contract, liable on summary conviction before a Magistrate to imprisonment for twelve months when the accused is an alien, or three months in any other case, and to a finei not oxcceding £100.