EVENING SITTING

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13479, 19 July 1907, Page 5

EVENING SITTING

The Hous.g resumed at 7.30. Discussion on the Farriers Bill was continued in committee, and the Bill was reported, with verbal amendments.

PURE FOODS BILL.

The Pure Foods Bill was further considered in Committee, commencing at clause 14, which provides that reliance on a written warrant is a good defence for a sale of goods. f Mr. Aitken pointed out that this was

right enough so far as it went, but >t did not meet the case, of a retailer who, after putting his goodi J on a shelf, could not say afterwards which of the goods were warranted.

The Minister said the same remarks had been made when a similar provision was before the Victorian Parliament, but had not been verified in practice. Unless there was some such provision they might just as well say that they did not want a Pure Food Bill.

Mr. T. McKenzie said the t trouble would be for the retailer to prove goods to have been bought from any particular merchant. v

The Hon. G. Fowlds said the retailer wanted someone to go ( back on. That person should be the manufacturer. That was what this clause provided for. On the motion of the Hon. G. Fowlds, the House struck out sub-section 2 of the clause, reading thus : "No warranty Shall be any defence unless given in New Zealand by or on behalf of a resident or incorporated company carrying on business there." The. following clause was substituted: "No warranty of other written statement given or made by a person resident outside New Zealand shall be any defence under this section, ntnless defendant proves that he has taken reasonable steps to ascertain, and did, in fact, believe in the truth of matters set forth in such warranty or [statement." — The clause as amended was Agreed to.

| At clause 15, relating to what constitutes adulteration, there was considerable discussion. The claufee was passed without amendment.

At clause 33 (sources of information of. reports) the Minister moved to make reports confidential. The clause was passed. There was a bare quorum present after supper. At clause 26 (Governor to make regulations) the Minister moved this new sub-section: "The Governor may make regulations making it lawful for any person at any time within twelve months of the gazetting of the regulations to sell any food or drug the sale of which is otherwise unlawful, if he proves that at the said date such food or drug was part of the existing stock-in-trade in New Zealand of a person carrying on business there, and that since the gazetting no act has benL. done by which such food or drug fails to comply with the regulations." The clause was agreed to. The Minister also moved a new ' clause to replace clause 13, which had * been struck out at a previous sitting. The new clause provided : "In any prosecution for selling any food or. drug contrary to the provisions of the Act, it shall be no defence that defendant did not act wilfully, unless he also proves that he took all reasonable steps to -.ascertain, the nature, quality, quantity, composition and weight, as the case may be, of articles sold by him." — This was carried. A new clause was also added provide ing that' copies of tho regulations shall be laid before Parliament within twentyone days of the commencement of next ensuing session. \ - Mr. Barclay moved a new clause, making it compulsory for any constable to purchase a sample of food or drug for analysis when required to do so. — This was agreed to. The Bill was reported <as amended. * PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE BILL. .The Public Trust Office Bill was further considered in Committee. A new clause was added at the suggestion of Mr. Massey ? providing that , where the Public' Trustee proposes to take over property of an absentee under powers conferred by the Bill, notice to do so is to be published in the Gazette and a paper circulating in the district where the property is situated, or where the absentee owner last , resided. The Bill was reported as amended. The House rose at 11.20.