NEW ACTS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19198, 3 January 1928, Page 10

NEW ACTS.

j TO OPERATE THIS YEAR. i 1 [THE PRESS SpecUl Service.] WELLINGTON, December 31. The Statute Book of 1027, the proI duct of a session constituting s record I in number of sitting days, promises to' | eclipse in bulk that of 1920, which was j of record size. The number of public I measures passed was 101, ten more than jin the previous session, and though | consolidations were hardly as numerous or as voluminous as in 1926, as a setoff against this the tariff revision involved the inclusion in the Customs Amendment Act of very lengthy schedules. Although the session ended only three weeks ago, good progress has been made iu the preparations for the issue of the new volume of Statutes, which will probably be available to tho legal profession and others who make general use of it towards the end of Januarv. New Laws.

Most of the amending measures passed in the course of the session came into operation immediately. upon . receiving the Governor-General's signature, but a number of new Acts aro to have effect as from January Ist. As some of these impose now obligations upon various sections of the community, it is as well that notice should be taken of them bv those concerned. Perhaps the most important Act which is to operato as from New Year's Dav is the Kural Intermediate Credit Act, The necessary machinery to facilitate tho issue of short-term financial assistance to primary producers, the object of the Act, has already been provided by the "gazetting" of regulations, and" preliminary steps for tho setting up of the Rural Intermediate Credit Board are in hand. Tho district boards are to bo appointed subsequently bv the Eural Intermediate Credit Board.

The Drug Habit.

Chemists and others are directly affected by the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which regulates the importation and exportation, manufacture, sale, use, and possession of- certain dangerous drugs. The main object of the Act is to bring the New Zealand law into conformity with modern ideas in the control of drugs, which, if used excessively, have an effect of mental and physical demoralisation, and most of the sections are in compliance with Articles of the League of Nations Convention, 1924. Opium-smoking is directly aimed at.

The Orchard Tax Act is devised to raise moneys by means of special taxation of those concerned for the development of the fruit industry, and to protect orchards from flreblight. This legislation has been specially asked for by the fruitgrowers. Another important measure which is dated to operate from January Ist is the Legislature Amendment Act, but its effect will not be felt until the General Election towards the end of next year. Ono of the princpial provisions relates to the setting up of a permanent Commission to determine alterations in the boundaries of electorates. There are also provisions in regard to voters' rights, the return of writs; etc. •

Bankruptcy Law. The amendments made to the Bankruptcy Act were the first for thirtyfive years, during which period the Act remained on the Statute Book without any amondment whatever. Tho alterations now made are chiefly on the lines of the English Act. One section prohibits the publication of reports of the examination of a bankrupt. Another reduces from six months to three months the preferential claims of a landlord for rent, and places claims for wages ahead of the landlord's claims for rent. One of the most important sections is that which affords protection to persons who have lent money to dairy-farmers on the security of milk cheques. Under the final section, provision is made for the publication annually of a list of undischarged bankrupts. In addition to being a consolidation measure, the Apiaries Act gives inspectors increased powers in respect to the control of foul-brood and other diseases, and provides for condemnation of honey, which from any cause is unfit for human consumption. The Public Service Superannuation Act, the Police Offences Act, and tho Electoral Act, which also bear the date January Ist, are consolidating measures embodying no actual changes in the law.