§ 43. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in the present year, he has authorised proceedings to be taken for offences against the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1922; and, if so, in how many cases?
§ Mr. N. BUXTONOn the 20th February, 1923, the then Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries by a General Direction made under Sub-section (4) of Section 7 of the Oil in Navigable Waters 606 Act, 1922, authorised the institution of proceedings by any local fisheries committee constituted under the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act, 1888, or by any board of conservators constituted under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Acts, for an offence under the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1922, committed within the district of the committee or board. Offences committed by any sanitary authority or joint board were exempted from the Direction. I have no record of the number of prosecutions instituted by these authorities in the present year.