NEW LAWS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 December 1927, Page 5

NEW LAWS

WORK OF PAST SESSION.

TO OPERATE NEXT WEEK. ' SOME OF THE PROVISIONS. BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL TO ‘'THE STAR.") WELLINGTON, Dec. 29. The statute book of 1927, the product of the past session, constituting a record in the number or sitting days, promises to eclipse in. hulk that of i 926. which was of record size. The number of measures passed was 101, ten more than in the previous session, and though consolidations were hardly as numerous or as voluminous as in 1926, as set off against this the revision of the tariff involved the inclusion in the Customs Amendment Act of lengthy schedules. Although the session ended only three weeks ago, good progress has been made in the preparations for the issue ot the new ,-olume of statutes, which will probably he available to the legal profession and others who make general use •of it towards the end of January. Most of the amending measures passed in the course of the' session came into operation immediately, but a number of new Acts are to have effect as from January 1. As some of these impose new obligations upon various sections of tlie community, it is as well that notice should be taken of them by those concerned. Perhaps the most important Act which is to operate as from New Year’s Day is the ltural Intermediate Credit Act. The necessary machinery to facilitate the' issue of short term financial assistance to primary producers, the object of the Act, has already been provided by the gazetting of regulations, and the preliminary steps for the setting up of the board are in hand. District boards are to be appointed subsequently by the Rural Intermediate Credit Board. Chemists and others are directly affected by the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which regulates the importation, exportation, manufacture for sale, use, and possession of certain dangerous drugs. The main object of the Act is to bring New Zealand law into conformity with modern ideas for the control of drugs which, if used excessively, have the effect of mental and physical demoralisation, and most of the 'sections are in compliance with the articles of the League of Nations Convention of 1924. Opium smoking is directly aimed at. The orchard tax 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 fireblight. This legislation has been specially asked for by the fruitgrowers. Another important measure which is dated to operate from January 1 is the Legislative Amendment Act, but its effect will not be felt until the oeneral election towards the end of next year. One of the principal 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. Amendments made to the Bankruptcy Act were the first for thirtyfive years, during which period the Act remained on the statute book without any amendment whatever. Alterations now made are chiefly on the lines of the English Act, one section of which prohibits the publication of reports of the examination of bankrupt; ‘ another reduces from six months to three months the preferential claims of a landlord for rent, and places claims for wages ahead of Landlords’ claim for rent. 'One of the mo:s? important, sections affords 1 protection to persons who have lent money to dairy farmers on security of milk cheques. Under the final section provision is made for the publication annually of a list of undischarged bankin addition to being a consolidation measure, the Apiaries Act gives inspectors increased powers in respect to control of foul-brood and other diseases, and provides for condemnation of honev which, from any cause, is unfit for human consumption. The Public Service Superannuation Act, and the Electoral Act, which also bear the date January 1, are consolidating measures, embodying no actual changes in law.