§ If any firm or person by this Act required to furnish a statement of particulars or of any change in particulars shall without reasonable excuse make default in so doing in manner and within the time specified by this Act, every partner in the firm or the person so in default shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five pounds for every day during which the default continues, and the Court shall order a statement of the required particulars or change in the particulars to be furnished to the Registrar within such time as may be specified in the Order: Provided that no proceedings shall be instituted under this Section except by or with the consent of the Board of Trade.
§ Amendment made: After the word "in" ["in manner and within"], insert the word "the."—[Mr. Pretyman.]
§ Mr. PRETYMANI beg to move to leave out the words "Provided that no-such proceedings shall be instituted under this Section except by or with the consent of the Board of Trade."
This is a rather important Amendment. There was considerable debate on this point in Committee, and it was suggested, I think, by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Kirkcaldy (Sir H. Dalziel), that the Board of Trade ought not to have this discretion, and that as a compromise we should leave out these words in Clause 7 and retain them in Clause 17. I am disposed to adopt that course, and I hope that it will meet with the approval of the House.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSOn behalf of the hon. Member for York I desire to thank 223 the hon. Member for accepting the Amendment moved in Committee. We quite approve of the suggestion which he has made.
§ Amendment agreed to.