The Press. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday, July 25, 1908. SECRET COMMISSIONS.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 287, 25 July 1908, Page 4

The Press. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday, July 25, 1908. SECRET COMMISSIONS.

Some of the provisions of the new Secret Commissions Bill are of a very drastic nature. The object of the measure is “ to render illegal the practice of agents in secretly accepting payments and other valuable considerations from third persons in respect of the business of their principals.” Legislation dealing with the practice has already been passed in England and Australia, and the present Bill selects what are regarded as the best features of the Acts passed in those countries. It declares to be offences the giving of secret bribes or other considerations to agents by third persons, the receiving of such bribes by agents, the concealment by an agent of his pecuniary interest in a contract made by him on behalf of his principal, the giving to an agent by a third person of a false or imperfect receipt, invoice or

other documents, with intent to deceive the principal, and the giving by an agent to his principal of any such document. Counsel to the* Law Drafting Office explains that the practice to be stopped assumes so many different foims and is so easily disguised that if the measure is, to be effectit e it must be drawn in the most comprehensive terms, and that as so drawn it is quite possible that it includes certain practices which

in themselves are not open to objection. It is not practicable, however, to foresee and exempt these cases, and it is provided, therefore, as a safeguard, that no prosecution can be instituted without the consent of the Attor-nery-General. Similar clauses are embodied in the English and Victorian Acts, and the provision should effectually prevent the Act beino’ used except in cases which come within the spirit of it as well as the letter.