STRIKERS AND PAYMENT OF FINES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 7 September 1907, Page 2

STRIKERS AND PAYMENT OF FINES.

LATEST TELEGRAMS

STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL. AN EMPHATIC DENIAL.

Wellington, Last Night. The Attorney-General, before proeect ing to business in the Legislative Com :il this afternoon, said he wished t efer to a statement made the previou lay by a member of a deputation whic. raited upon the Minister for Laboui o the effect that he (the Attorney Jeneral) had said in the Council tha tien who struck and failed to pay fine, hould be shot down. The impressioi hat he had used such words liavinj ;ained a wide currency compelled bin o refer to the matter. The statemen .ttributcd to him was so outrageous hat he desired to tako this opportuniti if denying it from the place where h< ras alleged to have made it. The state nent he did make was to the effect, tha vhere there was revolt against the law hreatoning the life of the community ;he harsh provisions of the ltiot Ac voiild have to be resorted to, but h vas not referring to the enforcement o ines, and only a little earlier he Inn laid he did not desire that men shout ;o to prison for non-payment of fine mposed under an industrial award. H vas of that opinion still, (Hear, hear. I'he offence of non-payment of fines wa tot so serioiiß as to warrant imprison nent, but he thought some mean hould be devised for enforcing paymen >f fines. He emphatically denied bavin; ised the words attributed to him, am aid no self-respecting man would us* ueh words against honest men guilty ot 10 offence but striking against an /ward. The Hon. Mr. Rigg endorsed the exilanation of the Attorney-General.

HOW THE CUSTOMS ARE DEFRAUDED.

MANIPULATION OF METHYLATED SPIRITS. Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Hon. Mr. Millar, in moving the second reading of the Methylated Spirits Bill in the House this afternoon, said the spirit was imported at Is per gallon and then put through a process of deodorising and used for purposes of culinary essences and adulterating spirits. By a process of deodorising tho spirit was reduced to such a condition that there were absolutely no traces of it ever having been methylated, and consequently the revenue was being, considerably defrauded. He explained that under the Bill it would be an offence to purify methylated spirit, to have such spirit in possession, or to use methylated spirit in perfumes, etc. Under the Bill,, power is also given to the Customs Officers to enter and search buildings where there is a reasonable suspicion that spirit is being or has been purified. Mr. Massey pointed out that two •years ago Mr. Millar strenuously opposed the Bill, and yet he now brought down a more drastic measure. Mr. Millar said essence of lemon was being sold at 18s per gallon which, if properly made under bond, could not be sold under 26s per' gallon. Other abuses were also rife.

The second reading was agreed to.