MAJORITY REPORT. 
283 
1s necessary and operates fairly; and should, subject to (60) be- 
low, be continued generally in ifs present form. (paras. 438-449.) 
(60) That where, on an inquiry resulting from representa- 
tions that an insurance practitioner should be removed from the 
panel, it is decided that such removal is not justified, the practi- 
tioner should be given an opportunity of a further hearing before 
any lesser penalty is imposed by the Minister. (para. 448.) 
PAYMENT AND COLLECTION OF (CONTRIBUTIONS. 
(61) That the present system for the payment and collection 
of contributions by means of stamps and cards has operated 
satisfactorily and should be continued but that the powers of the 
Central Departments for securing compliance with the pro- 
visions of the Act in this respect should be strengthened as 
indicated in the following recommendations. (para. 476.) 
(62) That Section 96 (1) of the Act should be modified so as 
to render liable to prosecution any person who makes a fraudu- 
lent statement with a view to avoiding compliance with the 
Act. (para. 478.) 
(63) That Section 97 (1) (a) of the Act should be amended 
to provide that proceedings for any of the offences specified in 
Section 96 (2) and (3) may be brought at any time within one 
year from the date of the commission of the alleged offence. (para. 
478.) 
(64) That the offence of trafficking in stamps (Section 96 (3) 
should be made subject to the penalty of imprisonment as an 
alternative to a fine. (para. 478.) 
(65) That the preferential period for the recovery of unpaid 
contributions in the case of bankruptcy or companies in 
liquidation (Section 106 (1)) should be extended from four 
months to 12 months. (para. 478.) 
(66) That Section 97 should be so extended as to make 
directors of companies who are actively engaged in the conduct 
of the company’s business personally liable for the non-payment 
of contributions due in respect of the company’s employees un- 
less they can show that they could not reasonably be expected 
to have had knowledge of the default. (para. 478.) 
(67) That the proposal to pay out of Health Insurance funds 
contributions unpaid owing to bankruptcy should not be adopted. 
(para. 479.) 
ADMINISTRATION OF NORMAL BENEFITS. 
(68) That the proviso to Section 13 (4) of the Act, which 
brovides for penalties on insured persons who fail to give notice 
of their illness at the proper time should be amended so as to 
free from penalty an insured person who had reasonable excuse 
for his failure to give notice. (para. 483.) 
24709 
KK