SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1918, Page 7

SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES.

IMPORTANT REGULATIONS. Following are the main features of the new regulations, approved by t'lie Executive Council "for prohibition or restriction of businesses which compete with those of •soldiers, and the unrestricted establishment or continuance of which may injure or destroy the 'businesses of soldiers.":

'When tlie National Efficiency Board is satisfied that any person is carrying on or is about to carry on any business which will compete with the protected business of a soldier, and which will be rendered more profitable by the destruction or diminution of that protected business through the absence of that soldier on military service, the board may give to the person by whom such first-mentioned business is or is about to be carried on, a notice that such business is not to be carried on except under a license to be granted by the board."

Every business covered by such notice i 3 described as a ''restricted business." The notice may apply to the whole of such business or to any part. When the notice applies to only a part, such part will be deemed to be in itself separate restricted business.

Any such notice may be revolted by the National Efficiency An offence is comm.' any person who carries on a restricted business later than twenty-one days after notice lias been given, save under a license issued by t'iie National Efficiency Board.

"Any such license may be granted on the condition that tho licensee shall enter into a deed of agreement with the Botrd of Trustees of the protected business, acting on behalf of the soldier, to make to that Board on behalf of the soldier, such payments as may ho estimated by the National Efficiency Board to be equivalent to the additional profits to be derived by tinrestricted business from the cessation or diminution of the protected business through the absence of the soldier on military service. The amount and terms of the payments to he so made shall he set out in the agreement with t'he Board of Trustees, and such payments may be estimated either as fixed sums or as defined proportions of the profits of the restricted business, or in such other manner as the National Efiiciency Board thinks just and practicable fn the particular case. "After anv revocation or surrender has taken effect it shall not be lawful for any person, so long as the business in respect of whicfh the license was issued remains a restricted business, fo carry on that business save under a new license granted by the National Efficiency Board. '"A restricted business shall remain restricted notwithstanding the death of the sil.lier by whom the protected business was carried on, but it shall cease to be a restricted business so soon as that soldier has been discharged from the Rxped'tionary Force."

Provision is made for t'he protection of the business of soldiers in partnership or as shareholders of companies. In the ease of a comnany it is stated that "the business -shall . be deemed in respect and to the extent of the share of the soldier in that company, to be a separate business carried on bv him, and may become a protected business accordingly; and in such case t'he business of the company may, in respect and to the "xtent of the interests of the other shareholders therein, become a restricted business under these regulations." A similar provision applies to partnerships.

"E'-ery person who carries on or is concerned in tlie carrving on of a restricted business shall at all times give to the National Efficiency Board all siicft 1 information as may be demanded by that hoard relative to the nature, scope, conduct and profits of that business, and as to all other matters as to which the board desires information for the purpose of the administration of these regulations." "Without the permission of the National Efficiency Board it shall not be lawful for any person to establish or carrv 011 any new business as a retail 'shopkeeper, merchant, importer, exporter. commission agent, indent agent, accountant,. auditor, land a:rent, manufacturer, solicitor, medical practitioner, or dentist. Such permission may be Wanted by the board with such restrictions as to the locality or manner in which the business shall be carried on as the board thinks necessary in the public interest. Any extension or alteration of an old business whether in respect of the locality in which it is carried on or in respect of its scope or nature, shall be deemed to be the establishment or carrving-on of a new business within the meaning of this regulation. The fact that a business has been established with tl'e ppvmis e !on .of the board under this revision shall in no wanner take awnv or affect with reipeot to that business the powers conferred on the board with respect to protected and restricted businesses."