PAWNBROKERS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.51 p.m.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The purpose of this Bill is to amend the constitution of the Pawnbrokers Licensing Board which at present consists of:-

(a) a Chairman appointed by the Minister;

(b) the Commissioner of Police or his representative, and

(c) four other persons appointed by the Minister.

It is considered undesirable for the Commissioner of Police or his representative to be a member of the Pawnbrokers Licensing Board. In the course of their duties, the Police exercise supervisory functions over pawnshops and have direct dealings with pawnbrokers.

In most cases where cancellation of licences is under consideration by the Board, the decision of the Board hinges largely on Police evidence. Thus the Commissioner of Police or his representative can be considered to be an interested party where the contemplated cancellation of the licence arises out of a complaint by the Police in the first instance.

This Bill proposes to delete section 7 (1) (b) of the Pawnbrokers Ordinance to exclude the Commissioner of Police or his representative from membership of the Pawnbrokers Licensing Board.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.- [Mr Barker].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.