M.P.s AGREE TO FIREWORKS BAN

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31781, 11 September 1968, Page 28

M.P.s AGREE TO FIREWORKS BAN

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 10. Labour Party members in Parliament today did not feel that a Government proposal to limit the sale of fireworks to a fortnight prior to November 5 and a fortnight prior to January 1 went far enough, and suggested an even shorter period of sale.

Mr H. L. J. May (Lab., Porirua) said during the introduction of the Explosives Amendment Bill that for two weeks before Guy Fawkes night and New Year’s Eve it would be “open season” for children

letting off fireworks. He said that the Government’s proposal would only intensify the annoyance caused to the public on these occasions.

The Acting Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr AdamsSchneider) told the House the legislation would come into effect on January 1 next. There had been considerable public demand for restriction on the period allowed for the sale of outdoor fireworks. He added that "party type" or indoor fireworks would be excluded from the ban. Under the bill, exceptions to the two-week sales periods may be granted by the chief inspector of explosives for any special event or occasion which warrants it, subject to any terms or conditions he may impose. No Objection The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) said the Labour Party had no objection to restricting the sale of fireworks, but suggested that the bill did not go far enough.

If the aim of the bill was to prevent injury to children and others, then limiting the sale of fireworks to one month was not enough, he said. He claimed that if the Government could ban the sale of fireworks for 48 weeks of the year there was sufficient justification to institute a total ban on fireworks sales. Partial Ban The Minister said the Government felt that a total ban on fireworks sales went too far—a partial ban was sufficient at this stage. “This is a very definite move to restrict firework sales,” said Mr Adams-Schnei-der.

The bill was given a second reading pro forma and referred to the Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives for further consideration.