STATUTES AMENDMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 2

STATUTES AMENDMENT

A MISCELLANEOUS MEASURE AKOMALY IN MARRIAGE LAW RECTIFIED [Pee United Press Association.] AVELLINGTON, September 14. Miscellaneous clauses, mainly of a> minor and technical nature, are contained in the Statutes Amendment Bill,; which was introduced in the House tonight. The Bill, which consists of 61| clauses, was read a second time pro forma and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. ■ Prohibition of tho wrongful use p£ military uniforms and badges is extended to apply to the uniforms and badges of the Air Force. Power t» make regulations under the Air Navigation Act is widened to permit regulation of the making of signals and other communications to or from aircraft. A clause will also authorise th® issue ■of regulations exercising control over the use of the ensigns of the Royalj New Zealand Air Force or of New Zealand civil airlines.

The schedules of the Cinematograph' Films Act, 1928, are extended to provide for a 20 per cent, quota of British films by both renters and exhibitors of films up to 1944. An" amendment to the Coal Mines Act, 1925, provides that any money appropriated by Parliament to assist" the coal mining" industry may be used for the purchase of machinery, working plant, or appliances, the extraction, rectification, storage, or transport of oil derived from coal, and the erection or repairing of dwellings by tha owners of any coal mines for the use of employees. ■ The Arbitration Court is empowered to delegate to a stipendiary magistrate any of its powers or. functions under the Factories Act or the Shops and Offices Act. «

Amendments to_ the Juries Act provide that no action or criminal case shall be tried before a judge with a special jury without the consent of all parties and unless the judge is of opinion that difficult questions_in relation to scientific, technical, business, oc professional matters are likely to arise. Power is given for the appointment of assistant secretaries of Labour/

An anomaly which has existed in tha marriage law with regard to, person* under 16 years of age is removed. /,.' .

The Bill states that no certificate of marriage .shall be issued if either of the parties is under; 16 years of age at the time of application for a certificate. If, however, it occurs that either of the parties to the marriage is subsequently found to have been under 16 at that date, the marriage shall not be declared invalid for that reason.