FERTILISERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 223, 21 September 1927, Page 14

FERTILISERS.

SAFEGUARD TO PURCHASERS.

A COMPREHENSIVE BILL.

HEAVY PENALTIES FOR BREACHES

«By Telegraph. — Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday,

"This bill will make clearer to the farmer what fertiliser he is buying," explained the Hoq. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, when a Fertilisers Bill was introduced in the House today by Governor's Message. The Government, he added, did not propose to make any charge, except for analysis, which it might be asked to undertake. The bill would require settlers to disclose the proportion of "filler" in the manure, also the form in which the fertilising agent occurred. Sir Joseph Ward remarked that, while it was quite right that those who imported fertilisers should sell only what they represented, it was important to know where the analysis would take place, whether at the point of shipment or on Arrival in New Zealand.-Importers tried to sell a good articlc, but no company would take the risk of bringing in manures if examination took place in New Zealand and cargo was then condemned.

Mr. Hawken explained that samples would be taken in England and posted out. This would make the position of the importer quite safe.

Sir Joseph Ward repeated that, from a practical point of view, this was not suitable. A parcel post sample was not sufficient. Importers did not sufficient from manures to take any such risks; therefore he hoped the bill would .be very carefully considered before being passed.

Details To Be Swmlttee. . The' hill, which was read a first time formally, makes provision for the registration of vendors of fertilisers and registration of brand in case of all fertilisers sold, the details to be given to the Director-General of Agriculture, including a full analysis, the degree of grinding and the nature and percentage of "filler." Where special mixtures are made to order no registration Of brand is needed.. Sales in bulk will' be permitted if notice is given to an id* spector under the Act two days prior to delivery and a complete record kept of such sales. False entries in'a sales register involve a fine of £50. On the sale.of a-fertiliser the vendor is required to render, with the invoice, a full statement of ite nature, the details specified ill the bill being very comprehensive. It is provided that sale implies a warranty that the statements in the invoice are true in. substance and in fact. .Samples of fertilisers are to be sent to the Government diem* ist on request, and inspectors have power to take samples, the method following being similar to that under other statutes dealing with adulteration. Purchasers of fertilisers may, on payment of a fee, secure the services of an inspector to take samples for analysis. The vendor is to be notified, irad, if the analysis shows no material difference between the sample and invoice specification, the vendor may recover from. the * purchaser reasonable expenses incurred in attending the taktag of sample. Where fertiliser la Imported by bodies of persons, not for sale, particulars are to be submitted to the Director-General of Agriculture, together with an adequate sample. The penalty for false repreeentation is a maximum fine of *50, while the general- penalty for other breaches of the Act is £10. The Director-General of Agriculture is authorised to publish the result of any analysis, or of experiments made with any fertiliser sold in New Zealand. Provision is made for remedy by a vendor against any prior vendor i|» respect of penalties incurred if he provee that the fertiliser in question was sold under certificate and that he was unaware that it was otherwise than ae stated.