Untitled

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 19, 22 October 1891, Page 2

The auctioneers Act, 1891, introduced by the Hon. Mr Seddon, and passed by both Houses of Parliament, contains certain provisions for the protection of , both auctioneers and vendors. Any person who is desirous of ' obtaining an auctioneer's license must now apply to the Clerk of the local body in the district where the applicant ; resides, and the body shall decide that such applicant is or is not a fit and proper person to receive such license. The license fee of £40 will be paid into the Public Account, and after all charges have been deducted the balance will be handed back to the local body. Public notification has to be given of the issue of a license. If an auctioneer is ill or absent from the district he may appoint a substitute, who has to be approved of by the Clerk of the local body. In the case of death or bankruptcy the license may be transferred. Every auctioneer shall, after receiving a written demand from the vendor of any property, render an accountof the proceeds of such sale, and in the event of failure to comply, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds. All moneys arising from sales by auction are to be kept apart from other moneys of his business, and the first mentioned moneys shall not be capable-df" being attached or taken in execution under the process of any Court for any debt or liabi!ity~6f the auctioneer. Any auctioneer who . fraudulently converts to his own use the proceeds of any property sold by auction by him, or omits to pay such proceeds to the person entitled thereto shall be deemed guilty of larceny ; or who, with intent to defraud, readers a false account of the proceeds of any property sold, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction shall be liable to imprisonment for any time not exceeding two yaars. Unlicensed persons selling by auction may be fined one hundred pounds, Account sales are to be rendered within seven days. The auctioneer must apply the proceeds of sales towards the payment of all charges incidental to the sale ; towards payment of any moneys owing to such auctioneer by the person on whose behalf the property is sold ; the balance to be held by the auctioneer exclusively for such person, to be paid to him as he may direct, but until so paid the balance shall be paid into a bauk to a general or trust account, and such balance Bhall not be available for payment of the debts of any other creditor of such auctioneer. The other clauses of the Act are of no general interest, as they only rofer to penalties for offences created by the Act.

V7e have been informed that the railway authorities have notified the Secretary of the Palmerston North Fire Brigade, that the Department will be prepared to pay for any service rendered by the Brigade in case of fire on any of their premises. Accepting this information as correct wo would suggest to our local Brigade that they make application to the proper quarter, and have themselves placed go 9, similar footing.