DANGEROUS GOODS ACT, 1870, AMENDMENT BILL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5438, 31 August 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

DANGEROUS GOODS ACT, 1870, AMENDMENT BILL.

This Bill repeals the Dangerous Goods Act, 1870, and provides that the term “petroleum” shall include all such rock oil, Rangoon oil, Burmah oil, or any product thereof, and any oil made from petroleum, coal, schist, shale, peat, or other bituminous substance, and any product of them giving off an inflammable vapor at a temperature of less than XlOdeg. Fahrenheit. The Governor may make regulations for the storage of gasoline, and for the use of gasoline for lighting purposes, and to alter, amend, and repeal such regulations. Local authorities are empowered to make bylaws for the efficient administration of the Act, and may appoint and remove all necessary officers therefor, and may fix and vary the amount of fees to be paid in respect of licenses issued under the Act, all which fees shall be revenue of the local authority of the district wherein they arise respectively. Any such license fee may he annual or for a limited time, and shall be payable as soon as the same is fixed, in the case of licenses heretofore issued, and in all other cases on tha granting of the license. All thepowers and duties conferred or imposed on inspectors of weights and measures by the Act, may also be exercised and perfoimed.by any officer of polios or other person authorised by the local authority. For the purpose of obtaining samples of petroleum for testing, any inspector of weights -and measures and any officer of police is authorised to enter upon any premises, at any reasonable hour in the day time, in which petroleum is kept, offered, or exposed for sale, aud may procure samples thereof, either by purchasing the same, or by requiring the vendor or the person in charge of the aforesaid premises to show him and allow him to inspect all or any ot the vessels in which any petroleum in the possession of tho vendor is stored, and the place of the storage, aud to give him samples of snch petroleum on payment or tender of the value of snch samples. If the vendor of any petroleum, or his agent, or servant, or the person in charge of any premises where petroleum is kept, when required in pursuance ot the foregoing section, refuses or fails to admit the officer, or refuses or wilfully omits to show all or any of the vessels in which petroleum is stored, or the place of the storage, or to permit the officer to inspect the same, or to give any samples, or to furnish the officer with such light and assistance as he may require, he shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of twenty pounds, to be recovered in a summary manner, and shall also be deemed to be keeping petroleum in contravention of the Act, and shall be liable accordingly.