QUACKERY PREVENTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 2993, 18 September 1908, Page 3

QUACKERY PREVENTION.

IMPORTANT NEW PROVIbIONS. Mr Hornsjtiy'-* Quackery Prevention Bill has been completely redrafted by ttie Statutes Revision Committee, to which it was referred by the Upper House. Its two operative clauses have be:i;ne tan. As passed by the Lower House, the Bill made it unlawful "to advertise or supply quack medicine*, but in it* ne.v version the msasura qui Wins nothing to prohibif the supply of such preparktiohs. On tne other hand, the provisions dealing with advertisements and other published matter are made more definite and more drastic, while in place of a clause authorising the | Governor in Council to make regu- j lations for carrying out the Act the | machinery for tha purpose is dofinitely provided. I It is an offence to publish, or cause to b3 published, any statement which is intended to promot3 the sale of any medicine, preparation or appliance, and which is false in any material particular relating to the composition, operation, or effects of the article. A statement is deemed to be published if it is inslrted in a newspaper, exhibited in. a road, or other public place, sent gratuitously through the post, or otherwise, or gratuitously delivered. The iiiaximum penalty, which stood at £SO as the Bill left the Lower Houje, has been increased to £IOO foe a fir.it offancv a "d for a seco id offence. The printer, publisher, and pro pri tor of a newspaper are made severally liable for an offence, without excluding tho liability of any-' other person, but are not to* be prosecuted unless before the publication of I the false statement a warning from the Chief Health Officer has been delivered to them. Every information for an offence against the Act shall be laid by the Chief Health Officer, or by some person authorised by him. No prosecution shall be commenced without the leave of the Attorney.General. Every person convicted of an offence against this Act shall have a right of appeal under the Justices of the' Peace Act, 1908, on any question l of law or fact, whatever may be the amount of the fine which has been imposed upon him. Every document which at any time accompanies, and is distributed along •with, any newspaper shall be deemed to form part of the newspaper. The Act is to come into operation on January Ist, 1909.