GUM LICENSES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 109, 8 May 1903, Page 2

GUM LICENSES.

ARE BROKERS EXEMPT?,

Recently the Waitemata County Council asked that the proclamation of the City of Auckland as a" kauri gum district should be revoked, in order that the issuing of glim licenses to buyers in the city might come under the control of the County Council. The matter was referred by-the County Council solicitors (Messrs Russell and Campbell) to the Secretary for Labour (Mr Tregear), and after some delay Mr Tregear received a reply from the Town Clerk of Auckland, a copy of which was forwarded to Messrs Russell and Campbell, and laid by them before the County Council this morning. The letter stated that ."on the-6th August, 1900, you (Mr Tregear) wrote asking the Council to issue licenses in order, that evasions of the Act which were taking place might be checked. After the city had been gazetted a district, licenses were issued. A difficulty, however, arose over this matter, many of those interested claiming that they were not buyers, but merely brokers, and in such instances it was found almost impossible to opr pose the position taken up by these parties. . . .'.' The City Council is therefore unable to agree to the proposal that the proclamal ion should be revoked, nor to the loss of revenue derived from this

source. If any difficulty is felt in the matter, more vigorous action can be taken by the city, in conjunction with the county, to have the provisions of the Act complied with, and this would be the better course."

Messrs Russell and Campbell stated: "It appears to us from cursory consideration of the provisions of the Act. that they are intended to apply as much to agents as to persons who actually purchase on their own account."

In the course of discussion the opinion was expressed that steps should be taken to bring the brokers under the licensing Act, even if an alteration of the Act were necessary. The question was referred to the solicitors for further action.