IN THE HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20440, 19 October 1934, Page 11

IN THE HOUSE.

Notes and Comment from Parliament. SECOND-HAND DEALERS BILL. (“ Star ” Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, October IS. The whole principle of the Secondhand Dealers Bill, designed originally to require second-hand dealers to retain in their possession all goods purchased for re-sale for at least one month, has been changed. Instead of dealers being required to hold all goods, except those specially exempted, an amendment introduced in the House to-night by the Hon J. G. Cobbe provides that only goods set out in the schedule must be retained for a month. It will be possible to add to or remove items from the list by Order-in-Council. Goods which must be retained are articles of gold or other metal, bicycles and motor-bicycles and parts and accessories, cameras, clocks and watches, gramophones and phonographs, field glasses and optical instruments, firearms and weapons, furs, jewellery and jewels, overcoats and taincoats, tools, spare parts and accessories of motor vehicles, all radio apparatus, text-books other than those used exclusively for primary or secondary education, tools of trade, travelling rugs and typewriters. It was on the point of the nature of the schedule that there was so much opposition from Labour members when the measure was previously before the House, and the amendments made by the Minister now fully meet their objections. Petition of Cygnet, Ltd. A favourable report was returned to the House to-day by the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of Cygnet, Ltd., Christchurch, praying for compensation for loss allegedly caused by the negligence of the Marine Department. Once again the petition provoked strong criticism of the Government. Mr Armstrong (Christchurch East) asked how often it was necessary for committees to bring in favourable recommendations before some action was taken. The Cygnet case was a glaring case of injustice. The ship had been surveyed by an officer of the Department at a cost of £IOBO, and was at sea again for only a short time before it becames apparent that she was not seaworthy. Another survey was made and the company was told it would cost several thousand pounds to effect the necessary repairs. The first surveyor had been retired and officers of the Department admitted that the mistake was the fault of the Department, but nothing had been done by way of compensation.

The Minister of Marine, the Hon J. G. Cobbe, said the matter had been fully investigated, but that the Department should not bear full responsibility for the mistake of one of its officers. The Day’s Work.

The big item in to-day’s sitting of the House was the Dairy Commission’s report, the remainder of the day being devoted to business of a very ordinary nature. In the evening the Slaughtering and Inspection Amendment Bill, giving very wide powers to the Minister to control freezing works; Electrical Wiremen’s Registration Amendment Bill, which is mainly a machinery measure; Transport Licensing (Commercial Aircraft Services) Bill, controlling passenger air transport; and Second-hand Dealers Amendment Bill, were put through all stages and passed.