COMPANIES ACT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 142, 11 March 1919, Page 4

COMPANIES ACT

POSITION OF REGISTERED HEMS. At yesterday's meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce an interesting report was submitted by Mr. L. A. Edwards, of the Chamber's Legislation Committee, regarding anomalies in the Companies Act and the position of registered and unregistered firms. In submitting his report Mr. Edwards said that the Registrar of Companies at an _ interview had stated that tho first registered company was protected against any Infer registered company as regards similarity of mips. * The Department had no jurisdiction over businesses not registered, and a company applying for registration could be registered with a name similar to that possessed by a business not registered. In addition to this very unsatisfactory position, there was apparently nothing to prevent an unregistered company attaching the words "Limited" to its title when, as a matter of fact, it was no; a limited company. The committee was of the opinion that all firms should be compulsorily registered. Mr. J. V. Brown, M.P., had-brought down a Bill which covered the positiou, and which would greatly protect the general public and the commercial community. Unfortunately this Bill'could not bo dealt with owing to the rushed legislation of last session. He strongly recommended that steps should be taken to ensure a Compulsory Registration of Firms Aot being brought before tho House next session. As a m/itter of fact, New Zealand was some thirty years behind Australia in this respect, where the Registration of Firms Act had given every satisfaction. The report was unanimously adopted, and it was decided to keep the matter in _ view in order to secure early legislation on the points mentioned.