A.—6b

3

SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT.

Acts Interpretation. We have embodied in this Act such of the provisions of the Abolition of Provinces Act as are not spent. They are all of an interpretational nature. Accident Insurance. Section 21 of " The Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act, 1900 " (Provisions in accident-insurance policies to be approved by the Governor in Council), has been retained in that Consolidation Act (section 22), but we think the more appropriate place for it would be the Accident Insurance Companies Act. Id many accident-insurance policies the liability of the company is expressed to be under specified Acts. It is a question if liability would continue under subsequent Acts passed in substitution of those specified. The Acts Interpretation Act, which provides that references to Acts shall extend to substituted enactments, applies only to Acts and regulations under them. We think a clause might reasonably be inserted in the Consolidation Act that all references in any such policy to specified Acts shall be deemed to include Acts subsequently passed in amendment or substitution of those specified, but so nevertheless as not to impose on the company any liability not imposed by the specified Acts unless the company agrees thereto. Administration. Subsection (4) of section 1 of the Consolidation Act is adapted from section 51 of " The Native Land Court Act, 1894," to save the special jurisdiction thereby conferred on the Native Land Court; and the provisoes to that subsection are taken from section 9 of " The Land Transfer Act 1885 Amendment Act, 1889." Banking. Section 5 of " The Banks and Bankers Act, 1880 " (relating to the Union Bank) has been dropped, as superseded by that bank's private Act. Section 9 (re-enacting section 3 of the Act of 1893) provides that a banknote shall be payable in gold "only at the office of the bank at the place of issue of the note. What is the place of issue ? It is usually stated on the face of the note. This, however, is not a matter of statutory requirement. Two courses suggest themselves —(1) Provide that the place of issue shall in every case be stated on the note ; (2) or provide that if no place of issue is stated on the note, then the place of issue of that note shall be deemed to be the head office, or other the principal office of the bank in New Zealand. Charitable Gifts Duties Exemption. In the interpretation clause we have substituted " means " for " includes." This is in accordance with the decision of the Court of Appeal, and removes a possible ambiguity. Copyright. It has been judicially decided that the New Zealand Ordinance of 1842 is not impliedly repealed or superseded by the Imperial Act which is in force in New Zealand. Hence there is a dual system Of copyright, with different provisions. We think it would be well to harmonize the law on the subject. Coroners. We have dropped section 28 of the Act of 1867 (on verdict of murder Coroner to send copy of evidence to nearest Magistrate) in favour of section 342 of " The Criminal Code Act, 1893 " (Coroner to send copy of deposition, on found inquisition of murder or manslaughter, to Attorney-General). See section 19 of the Consolidation Act. As the magisterial powers of the Coroner have been practically abolished, we suggest that the whole Act should be recast.