LAW PRACTITIONERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22247, 23 October 1935, Page 15

LAW PRACTITIONERS

CONTROL OF PROFESSION IMPORTANT CLAUSE DELETED RESULT OF OBJECTIONS [I)Y TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON', Tuesday One of tho most important sections in the Law Practitioners Amendment .Bill, that prohibiting unqualified persons, other than those specified, from performing duties of «i solicitor, was struck out when the bill was further considered by the House of Representatives to-night. The original clause in the bill had been modified to a considerable extent by the Statutes Revision Committee, which proposed much wider exemptions with regard to tho performance of legal work purely for certain businesses and professions, such as accountancy, sharebroking, banking, insurance, land agency and the like. To-night, the Prime Minister, Mr. Forbes, said trhat, in view of objections from members, he had decided to ask the House to delete the clause. Main Purpose of Bill Mr. Forbes naid tho bill had been brought forward in the first place by the law societies, for tho purpose of providing more security for their guarantee fund. The fund was a very heavy impost on members of the profession, but they were interested in giving the investing public an assurance that money invested with a solictor would be safe from misappropriation. "The bill has been before the Statutes Revision Committee, which took evidence and heard complaints from members of the legal profession and other interested parties," Mr. Forbes continued. "Considerable trouble was experienced in getting it into a form acceptable to the House. Ono debatable clause on which a good deal of evidence was submitted was that dealing with work by unqualified persons. " Very Useful Measure " "A fresh clause was substituted, but I have received objections to it. even in its present form, and at this stage of the session I propose that the clause as a whole should be dropped. Certain hardships are bound to arise in the I operation of the clause, and I think j the dropping of it will meet all objec- j tions." Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour— Napier): Will the Prime Minister tell us if he received objections from any persons other than land brokers? Mr. Forbes: There were very considerable objections from members of Parliament, and that is why I propose to drop the clause. "The bill is very useful and valuable," said Mr. Barnard. "I believe it will lead to a, stricter control of the operations of the various solicitors who j constitute the legal profession in this ; country, and that it will afford a | greater measure of protection to the i public. I would like to congratulate the ! Law Society on this very earnest and j considered effort to put' the house of I law in order in New Zealand." Ihe bill was put through its remaining stages and passed. i ————————— CONTROL OF ALSATIANS PROPOSALS AMENDED ACTION :BY COMMITTEE [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'J WELLINGTON, Tuesday Amendments have been made in the Alsatian Dog Bill by the Agricul- ' tural and Pastoral Committee of the I Legislative Council. The compulsory j sterilisation provisions have been deleted and replaced by a clause making the keeper of an unregistered dog liable to a fine of £SO. The proposed registration fee has been altered from £lO to £.'s. Control of the dogs is still left to local authorities, and the muzzling provision has been retained.

SMALL FARM SCHEME CHANCE FOR SINGLE MEN SECTIONS IN KING COUNTRY [Br TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER! WELLINGTON, Tuesday A request that, single men in developmental camps should be given the same opportunity of acquiring farm holdings as that at preserat extended to married men was made by Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Government —Waitomo) in an urgent question to the Minister of Lands, Sir Alfred Ransom, in the House of Representatives to-day. Many of the single men, said Mr. Broadfoot, had done excel lei t work and had shown great aptitude. Sir Alfred said that in the camps alreadj- established the men were engaged on the definite understanding that married men would have preference in the allocation of farm sections. That understanding must be carried out The Small Farms Board, however, was prepared to give single men opportunities of acquiring sections under the extended scheme for the salvaging of Crown securities in the King Country. WEEKLY HALF-HOLIDAY SATURDAY ADVOCATED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER 1 WELLINGTON. Tueaday A recommendation that the Govern- i ment should favourably consider hold- j ing a referendum on the subject of | a national Saturday half-holiday was j presented by the Public Petitions Com- i inittee in the House of Representatives ' to-day. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Labour —Napier) said there were distinct advantages to be derived from a national half-holiday. The five-day weuk was fast becoming a manter of practical politics and for that reason it wins more necessary than ever that a national Saturday halfiioliday should bm observed. "1 feel sure that if this proposal is endorsed by the Government there will be an overwhelming majority in favour of the national Saturday half-holiday," said Mr. J. A. Nash (Go vernment — Palnierston). The recommendation was opposed by Mr. C. H. Clinkard (Government — Rotorua), who said that in his opinion the democratic principle was the oue at present in force, under which the people of different coiniruunities wore enabled to choose for tlliemselves when they would observe tlui half-holiday. He saw no reason why the present system should bo changed. Mr. H. 10. Hci 1 Innd (Government— Christchnrch North) contended that each locality should be able to choose the half-holiday that suited it best. The report of the committee, which was presented by Mr. R. A. Wright (Independent— Wellington Suburbs) wan tabled.