PARLIAMENT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8868, 19 July 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

Legislative CouncilPress Association. Wfuunoton, July 18. The Council met atj3,aol^nan<l adjourned for the P rc .i° u giV e ruor AddTOHS-in-Roi^ Upon resuming modiatoly adjourned. , I House ofßeprTsentatives. The House 'mot at 2.30 T Y ou Pr mfmmcd tho House that ST duty on Seroseno was imposed V'^viiieto 1 Mr Massey, |Mr AtcNab I S ahl Cl tl‘o 6 Land Bills would be k Gloved the "second reading of the Musicians’ Bill. Mr T McKenzie moved that tho Pill be read a second time this day fix mouths. Ho scathingly criticised tho provisions of tho measure, especially the penal clauses. The amendment was negatived by oo oo and the Bill was read a second time. Mr Sidey moved that the Bill he referred to_ a Seiect Committee.— Carried by So to 32. The Accountants’ Bill passed its second reading on tho voices. The Trustees’ Act Amendment . gjjj pa.cscd though Committee without amendment. The House resumed at i.ol). The Farriers’ Bill was continued ju Committee, and reported with verbal amendments. The Pure; Foods Bill was further considered in Committee, comnioiioiu<- at Clause 14, which provides that reliance on a written warrant is a good defence for the sale of goods. Mr Aitkcu pointed out that this was right enough as far as 'At went, tnt it did not meet tho case of a fotailor who, after putting his goods on tho shelf, could not say afterivards which'of the goods there were Warranted. The Minister said tho same remark had been made when a similar provision Was before the Victorian Parliament, but it bad not been verified in practice. Unless there was some such provision they might just as well say they did not want a Pure Food Bill. Air T. McKenzie said the trouble for tho retailer to prove was that J any particular goods wore bought from any particular merchant. Mr Fosvlds said the retailer wanted something to fall back on, aud that was tho manufacturer. Tha t was what this clause was provided for. . „ , Sub-section 3 of clause (no w arranty shall bo any defence unless given iii New Zealand by or on behalf of a resident or incorporated company carrying on business there), was, on the motion of Mr Fowlds, struck out, aud the following substituted : “No warranty or other written statement given or made by a person resident outside New Zealand shall be any defence under this section , unless the defendant proves that ho has taken reasonable steps to ascertain, aud did in fact believe in tho truth of the matters set forth in such warrant or statement. ’ ’ Tho clause as amended was agreed

to. . Ac Clause 15—what constitutes adulteration —considerable discu ssiou ensued, but it was passed unamended. At Clause 33, sources of , information or reports, the Minister moved to make reports confidential. i The clause was passed. Resuming after supper there was a bare quorum present. At Clause 21!, Governor to make regulations, the Minister moved a new suh-section: “The Governor may make regulations making it lawful for any- person at any time within 13 mouths of the gazetting of the regulations to sell any food or drug, the sale of which is otherwise lawful, if he proves that at the said date such food or drug was part of the existing stock-in-trade in New Zealand of a person carrying on business there, and that since the gazetting no act has been done by which such food or drug fails to comply with the regulations.”

Agreed to. The Minister also moved a [new clause to replace Clause 13, which had been struck out at a previous sitting, providing that in any prosecution for selling auy food or drug contrary to the provisions of the Act it shall bo no defence that the defendant did not act wilfully, unless he proves that ho to ok all reasonable stops to ascertain the nature, quality, quantity, composition or weight, as the case-may be, of the articles sold by him. —Carried. 'A now clause was also added providing that copies of the regulations shall be laid before Parliament within 21 days of the commencement of the next ensuing session. Mr Barclay moved a new clause making it compulsory for auy constable to purchase a sample of food or drug for analysis when required to do so.—Agreed to. The Bill was reported as amended. The Public Trust Office Bill was further considered in Committee. A new clause was added, at the suggestion of Mr Massey, providing that whore the Public Trustee proposes to take over the property of an absentee under the powers conferred by the Bill, notice so to do is to be published in the Gazette and a paper circulating in the district where the property is situated,- or where the absentee owner last resided. The Bill was reported as amended. The House rose at 11.20 p.m.