HC Deb 04 January 1916 vol 77 cc914-6

(1) All offences which are by or under this Act made offences under the principal Act, other than those for which the maximum fine exceeds five pounds, shall be deemed to be offences with which munitions tribunals of the second class have jurisdiction to deal.

(2) Rules under Section fifteen of the principal Act shall provide—

  1. (a) that in proceedings before a munitions tribunal the chairman shall, before giving his decision, consult with the assessors, and in all cases-where the assessors are agreed he shall, so far as he lawfully may, give effect to their opinion in his decision;
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  3. (b) that where the complainant or defendant in any proceedings before a munitions tribunal is a female worker, or two or more female workers, the assessor or one of the assessors chosen from the panel of persons representing workmen shall be a woman;
  4. (c) there shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament to any person being a member of any Appeal Court constituted by this Act and to any other officers required in connection with such Court, such remuneration and travelling or other expenses (including compensation for loss of time) as the Minister of Munitions with the sanction of the Treasury may determine.

(3) In the case of a company being guilty of an offence under the principal Act, every director, manager, secretary, or other officer of the company who is knowingly a party to the contravention or non-compliance constituting the offence shall also be guilty of the offence and liable to the like fine as the company.

(4) In Sub-section (3) of Section fifteen of the principal Act after the words "so far as relates to offences" there shall be inserted "and the enforcement of orders."

Amendments made: In Sub-section (2) (a), leave out the words "so far as he lawfully may," and insert instead thereof the words "except as respects questions which appear to the chairman to be questions of law." In paragraph (b), leave out the words "complainant or defendant," and insert instead thereof the words "person or persons by or on behalf of whom or against whom the complaint is made." After the word "is" ["is a female worker"], insert the words "or are." Leave out paragraph (c). After paragraph (b) insert

"(3) Decisions of munitions tribunals shall be subject to appeal to a judge of the High Court appointed by the Lord Chancellor for the purpose on any ground which involves a question of law or a question of mixed law and fact in such cases, and subject to such conditions and in such manner as may be specified in rules made by the Lord Chancellor, and whether by means of the statement of a special case for the opinion of the judge or otherwise; and those rules may provide for such appeals in any classes of cases specified therein being heard and determined in a sum- mary manner and for the remission or reduction of any fees, and as to the manner in which effect is to be given to the decision of the judge, and the decision of the judge on any such appeal shall be final and binding on all munitions tribunals.

In the application of this provision to Scotland ' High Court' shall mean Court of Session, 'Lord Chancellor' shall mean Lord President of the Court of Session, rules made by the Lord Chancellor' shall mean Act of Sederunt.

In the application of this provision to Ireland ' Lord Chancellor' shall mean the Lord Chancellor of Ireland."—[Mr. Lloyd George.]