NO GAOL FOR DEBTORS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 766, 12 September 1929, Page 7

NO GAOL FOR DEBTORS

LABOUR MEMBER SEEKS ABOLITION BILL GOES TO COMMITTEE Press Association PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Wed. j Holding that the law, as it stands | at present, differentiates against the poorer man, Mr. H. G. R. Mason (Auck- I land Suburbs) moved the second j reading of the Imprisonment for Debt ) Abolition Amendment Bill. The Bill, he said, did not provide for abolition of imprisonment for debt in cases in which fraud or similar misdemeanour was involved. Under present conditions the law did not demand imprisonment in cases in which the debt exceeded £3O, and a man could file in bankruptcy. This seemed to imply class distinction. Any person sufficiently well placed to be able to obtain credit for £ 30 was not liable to the same treatment as people in poorer circumstances. The Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Justice, said if the principle on which the amendment was brought forward was merely to amend t!v Act, in so far as it operated to the detriment of \ poor people, it might be mentioned j that an order for imprisonment could only be made in cases in which a man had been proved to have had ability i and means with which to pay a debt, apart from what he required to support himself and family. If that section of the Act were abolished, what power would there be to compel a man to pay his board, his tradesman's bill, or the maintenance of his wife from whom he was separated, even if he had the means? j Mr. Wilford suggested the Bill i should be referred to the Statutes Rej vision Committee. j Mr. Downie Stewart said that if the i Bill were passed there would be a * danger that poorer people would not be able to obtain credit at all. The

effect would probably be the reverse ; of what Mr. Mason desired. The ! terms of the Bankruptcy Act prevented any existence of class distinction. Mr. Stewart agreed with the suggestion , to refer the Bill to the Statutes Revi- \ sion Committee. Mr. Mason said he would be pre- J pared to adopt Mr. Wilford's sugges- ! tion. ! The Bill was then read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.