“AUSTERITY” SUITS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25394, 27 November 1943, Page 6

“AUSTERITY” SUITS

VALIDITY OF DIRECTION TAILOR FINED FOR BREACH Reserved judgment was delivered in the Police Court yesterday by Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the case in which Adam Smith, tailor, of Dunedin, was charged with a breach of the regulations providing for simplified clothing. The defendant was convicted and fined £5, with court costs 10s and solicitor’s fee £3 3s. Security for appeal was fixed at £7 7s. The prosecution, which was the first of its kind, was brought by Hans Fuglestad Larsen, district officer of the Department of Industries and Commerce, for whom Mr J. B. Deaker appeared. Mr E. J. Anderson appeared for the defendant. The charge alleged the manufacture of a coat and vest in contravention of the regulations. The magistrate said that the defendant admitted making a coat and vest that were not of the correct specification. It had been contended for the defence that the direction for simplification was not given by the Factory Controller, but by the New Zealand Institute of Standards, which had no 'standing in law. The magistrate considered that it was not for the court to determine whether the direction was reasonable or not. Although he saw no necessity for detailed specifications to be published in the Gazette, he thought that unnecessary difficulty had been caused by the form of the notice. Mr Bundle also referred to the contention by the defence that, in the case of bespoke tailors, the manufacture of clothing from standard lengths, according to specifications, did not effect any saving in material. This, lie thought, was not a matter for the court’s decision. The Factory, Controller was given absolute authority in the regulations, and he (the magistrate) }ir>ld that the notice published in the Gazette in October. 1942, was valid, and that, the defendant had failed to observe it.