UNDER FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1934, Page 9

UNDER FIRE

NEW GOVERNMENT BILL

SECOND-HAND DEALERS

FACETIOUS RECEPTION

A facetious reception was given to tho Second-hand Dealers' Amendment Bill by the Labour Party when the measure was introduced by GovernorGeneral's Message in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Bill pro-i vides for greater control over the licens-1 ing of second-hand dealers, but before its contents were made known tho members of the Opposition vied with one another in their speculations as to its provisions. "For the love' of Mike ," said Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour, Christchurch South), after the Bill had been announced in the Committee stage. Tho Chairman (Mr. S. G. Smith): Order! Mr. Howard: May I respectfully ask what in the name of fortune is tho purpose in bringing down the Bill? The Rev. C. Carr (Labour, Tiniaru): It's a second-hand Government., Mr. Howard: Will the Minister tell why a Governor-General's Message was used to bring in this Bill? Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour, Auckland Central): It is part of tho four-year plan. Mr. Howard: Is this part of the fouryear plan, or is it another Bill from the Justice Department? "LONG-DISTANCE PLAN." Mr. B. Semplo (Labour, Wellington East): It is part of the long-distance plan. Mr. Howard: I would like the Minister to tell us what is the reason for bringing a Governor-General's Message. I hope he will go into details. Is it the intention to dispense with secondhand shops? Will the Minister enumerate the second-hand shops or will he deal with some special aspects? In theso days of depression and the policy of the Government, second-hand shops havo become much moro important than they were in the old days. Mr. Parry: Does the Bill provide for four balls instead of three? Mr. Sullivan: Because of the Government's policy large numbers of people are selling practically all they have to second-hand shops, and the rest of tho people are buying, from second-hand shops. I am given to understand that this is part of the four-year plan, and I expect, that the matter is one of great importance. Will the Minister satisfy the widespread interest in the Bill? Is the Government going to abolish all first-hand shops and keep open only second-hand shops? Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central): Is this a plan or only a second-hand- plan, or has the Government ransacked the second-hand shops for its long-promised plan? The country will have to bo galvanised to the serious and daring steps that the Government has taken. A voioe: Revolutionary steps. Mr. Fraser: Yes, revolutionary steps. Here wo have the first brick in - the structure. It is many days since we have soen a more important Bill than this introduced, and it may be many days before we see another. Mr. D. W. Coleman (Labour, Gisbornc): Does it contain more war regulations? Mr. Fraser: I wonder if the hon. member for Avon is right when he states that the Government attaches more importance to. seeonc-hand shops than ordinary shops at the present time. Mr. Fraser said that, owing to the Government's policy, the importance of second-hand shops had grown and a gerat number of abuses might have been discovered. Perhaps people who were buying or selling their clothes at secondhand shops were being, exploited, and in that case they should be protected. "Why has this Bill been brought down by Governor-General's Message?" asked Mr. Fraser. "Is it a taxing Bill? Does the Government propose to set up another board to administer second-hand shops? I am afraid that it might happen that in tho mysterious depths of the Bill there might be a provison by which a board is going to be financed by increased licence fees. Perhaps the idea in the mind of tho Government is that it must start rationalising industry somewhere, and what better place could it start than with the second-hand shops. Here is an opportunity for he Governmen to organise the second-hand shops, the second-hand shops, and regenerate the country. A voice: Nationalise the second-hand sho,ps. .-...-. The Rev. C. Carr said he hoped that the Bill provided for the abolition of second-hand shops, which wore an anachronism in a land of plenty. There were enough first-hand .goods for all, and it was to be hoped that secondhand shops would be made illegal. If the Bill abolished second-hand shops, and provided purchasing power for tho people, it contained tho germ of a great idea. ■ "SECOND-HAND WIT." "We have had an exhibition of sec-ond-hand wit during the last quarter of an hour," said the Minister of Justice (the Hon. J. G; Cobbe), who added that the Bill, had been introduced by Governor-General's Message because the Government did , everything in proper order. Ho stated that the Bill dealt with itinerant .second-hand dealers and those who purchased secondhand goods for the purpose, of breaking them down. There had • been cases where stolen bicycles had been sold to second-hand dealers, who had converted them and sold them again. The Minister said that there had been ono caso in which - twenty-six bicycles had been stolen. The Bill also dealt with the sale of old jewellery, providing that such jewellery could not bo altered or sold within a month. Thia provision would make it easier to locate stolen' jewellery. The measure took the licensing of second-hand shops out of the hands of,local bodies and placed it under the jurisdiction of Magistrates. Local bodies often gave a man a licence because he was a good sort or hard up, and it was felt that licences should be given only to trustworthy persons. EXAMINATION SUGGESTED. "I want .to say a word in defence of tho 'bottle-o,' " said Mr. Lee, who said that under the Bill, because a person was hard up he would not be given a licence.' It was tho greatest crime in tho country to bo hard up. There wore thousands of peoplo in the Dominion who were hard up, and had to wear old clothes. Would the Bill prohibit door-to-door clothes drives' conducted by amateurs who collected cast-off clothes and amended them to give to other people? In view of tho fact that many university men could not obtain jobs, it might bo well to restrict the profession by an - academic qualification. Why not restrict the entry into tho profession? Mr. Carr: Have a university chair. Mr. Lee: Why not have an M.A. degroo? After all, the "bottle-oh" is entitled to some consideration. I congratulato the Minister on his desiro to elevate the profession. Perhaps the Minister will allow existing holders of licences to hold them without oxamination by tho Academic Board of tho University. . LOCAL BODY REVENUE.

Mr. Sullivan said that apparently the Minister was dabbling in high finance.

The Bill was going to tako away from local bodies the; revenue they derived from tlio licence fees of second-hand shops. It was the practice of local bodies to consult the police before granting a licence: to a second-hand dealer. Mr. Cobbe: Is that done in every case? . - ' i Mr. Sullivan: Within-my local /body experience, yes. ': \ ' Mr. Sullivan added that a Magistrate could do no more than consult the police. Tho local bodies had already been deprived of the auctioneers' licences, and the latest move of the Government was adding to their difficulties in balancing their budgets. Mr. Semple said that the Minister in the preface of his remarks should ihave called, "Any rags, any bones, any 1 bottles today?" Ho added that one did not yet know ■ whether the Bill was part of the short:distance plan or the long-distance plan, or whether it. 'had been one of the "inspirations tho Minister of Finance had had at WaihoGorge. Many people had been driven by tho Government's policy to collecting a few bottles from door to door, and apparently they 'were to be deprived of earning a few-shillings in this way because they were, hard up. Mr. Semple said that he deplored the interference by the Government in the finances of local bodies., Replying to further, pbints, thp Minister of Justice said the whole object of the Bill was to make sure that <-\ly reputable persons should be allowed to deal with seeond-hanij goods. There wero certain itinerant dealers with whom it was necessary to keep in touch and to control. ■ \ The Bill was read a fiirst time.