GIFT COUPONS BANNED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17606, 23 October 1931, Page 2

GIFT COUPONS BANNED

HOUSE PASSES MEASURE i ~ : AN AMENDMENT DEFEATED MORE DRASTIC PROVISIONS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Consideration, of the Trading Coupons Bill was resumed in cofnmlttee of the House of Representatives to-day. , A division was taken on the clause providing that prosecutions could only Re commenced'with the Consen t of the Minister. _ j The clause was retained by 45 to, 20. Mr E. A. Ansell/-fßeform Clmlmers) moved to add a new clause aiming at prohibiting any description of sub-j sicliary articles as free ‘gifts, at the , same "time protecting ordinary and j customary trade discounts. He said j the amendment would prevent thoj purpose of the bill from being defeat-, ed. The restriction on the redemption of coupons Would induce traders to de-. velop gift schemes. The gift system' was regarded as considerably more j objectionable than the coupon system, j Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Ilid., Eginont) i said that generally speaking, traders I were opposed to the gift'system, which ; many people reagvded as a delusion: and "a snare. 'A straight-out purchase j for cash on quality Was the ideal that should be encouraged. Mr. H. Holland (Reform, Christchurch H.) also Supported the amendment. The Hon. A. Hamilton said the Government could not accept the amendment. • He contended that it would;! prevent a meipr from giving aivay a tie with shirts purchased. i Mr. W. P. Endean (Reform, Par--nell): He could under the amendment; that is provided for. j

The Minister 'exprcsscu ino upumm i that gifts such as ’pocket-knives by hardware stores would also bo prohibited. The amendment would interfere with the legitimate practice of business. < FINANCE MINISTER’S VIEW The Leader of the Opposition questioned whether, if the 'amendment were adopted it would be possible for business houses to send out Christmas calendars and for firms to provide free bus rides for prospective clients. *•* Mr. W. A. Veitch (United. Wanganui) said there was no grave danger in the amendment. In the first place, there could be no prosecutions without the consent of the Minister. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Ind., Gisborne) said the Minister’s contentions were unsound. The effect of the amendment was to prevent so-called gifts from being described as free. The Hon. W. Downie ’Stewart said he felt it would meet with the of a considerable number of members of the House if the Minister in Charge of the Bill w 6uld take further advice, and see if it was feasible to have an amendment tn similar lines to that of Mr. Ansefl’s included in the Upper House. Mr. Endean, supporting'the amendment, said the giving of Christmas almanacs was merely 'an expression of goodwill, and had nothing to do with the amendment. The same applied to free bus rides. Teaspoons could still be included in packets of tea, and towels wrapped round bars of soap, but they could not be described as free gifts. Mr. A. J. Stallwortliy (United, Eden) expressed the opinion that the bill would be futile w-ithout the amendment. ,