SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 205, 28 August 1918, Page 4

SOLDIERS' BUSINESSES

PROTECTION AGAINST RIVALS. PROFIT-SHAPING SCHEME. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. Cabinet to-day . adopted regulations designed to remove some of tlie hardships due to unlit, men profiting in business through rivals being called up lor service. The Minister for Defence states that it is intended, where men in businesses or professions in any district are called up the soldiers' businesses will be protected businesses, while others of the same remaining will be classed us restricted businesses or professions." ''We intend." said Sir .lame.s Allen, "to make those remaining help the called-up man to maintain his business. The administrative authority will be tiie National Efficiency Hoard, acting with the Soldiers' I'roperty Hoards of Trustees constituted under the Soldiers' Property Regulations of 1017. When the National Efficiency Board is satisfied that any person is carrying on. or is about to enrry on. any business which will compete with the protected business of a soldier, and which will lie rendered more profitable by the destruction or diminution of that protected business through tiie absence of the soldier on military service, the Hoard may give notice that such business is not to hi' carried on except under license by the Hoard. Every business covered by such n notice, is described as a restricted business.' Tlie notice may apply to the whole of Bilvli business or to any ;>art. Such a license may be grauled on condition that the licensee shall enter into a deed of agreement with the board of trustees of a protected business, acting on behalf of a soldier, lo make to that board, on behalf of the soldier, such payments as may he estimated by the National Kfticieney Board lo be equivalent to liic additional profits to be derived by tiie restricted business from the 1-c.saliou or diminution of the proterte:! business. T_» amount may be estimated either us fixed sums or as delined proportions of tbe profits of the restricted business, or in any other manner as ir- just and practicable in the parti cui.r case. -•Provision is made r.»r Tlie protection of tlie businesses of soldiers i:t partnership or as shareholders of com pa nice In the case of v company it is stated Unit tbe business shall be deemed to be a separnte business to tbe extent of the share of the soldier in the company, and may become a protected bti-uiess accordingly. In such a case in- business of the company, to the extent of the in terests of the other shareholders, may rwcome a restricted business under these regulations. A similar provision applies to partnership-. "Without the permission ..f tbe National Efficiency Board it shall not be lawful for any person to establish or carry on any new business as a retail shopkeeper, merchant, importer. exporter, commission agent, indent agent, accountant, auditor, medical practitioner, or dentist." states the regulations. "Permission may be granted by Onboard, with such restrictions as to the locality or manner in which the business shall 1..- carried on as the board Oiinks necessary in Oie public interest. Any extension or alteration of an old business, whether in rc=peet of locality, scope or nature, shall be deemed to be the establishment or carrying on ol" a new business within the meaning of the regulation. The fact that a business has been established with the permission of the board under this regulation shall in no manner take away, or affect with respect to that business, the powers conferred on tin- boar.! with respect to protected and restricted businesses."