Hide, Skin and Leather Trade Act

Section 1. Short title Section This Act may be cited as the Hide, Skin and Leather Trade Act.

Section 2. Interpretation Section In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— "buyer" means a person who buys, sells or otherwise deals in hides, skins or leather; "calf skin" means the outer covering of a young or immature bovine animal; "Director" means the Director of Veterinary Services; "exporter" means a person who export hides or skins or leather or hides and skins or hides, skins and leather; "exporter’s licence" deleted by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 88; "green hide" or "green skin" means a hide or skin which is not partly nor wholly dried, salted or tanned; "hide" means the outer covering of a mature or fully grown bovine, equine, cameline or other domestic or wild animal of the larger kind; "importer" means a person who import hides or skins or leather or hides and skins or hides, skins and leather; "inspector" means a person authorized by the Director in writing to act as an inspector for the purposes of this Act or any rules made thereunder; "leather" means a hide or skin with or without hair or wool which still retains its original fibrous structure more or less intact, and which has been treated so as to be imputrescible even after exposure to water; "leather goods...

Section 3.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 89.]

Section 4.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 90.]

Section 5. Conditions attached to a buyer’s licence Section keep the hides, skins or leather purchased by him free from damage;

Section 6.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 92.]

Section 7. Restriction on export of hides,etc. Section No hide or skin or leather shall be exported or imported except through a prescribed port or place.

Section 8.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 93.]

Section 9.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 94.]

Section 10. Conditions for an exporter’s or importer’s licence Section equip and maintain his premises to the satisfaction of the Director;

Section 11.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 94.]

Section 12. Premises used for drying to be registered Section 12(1) No premises shall be used for the purpose of shade or suspension drying, wet salting, or for any other hides and skins curing methods until they have been approved as suitable for that purpose by an inspector, who, if he so approves, shall issue to the owner or occupier a registration certificate in respect of the premises. Section 12(2) No premises shall be used for the purposes of processing hides and skins into pickled pelts or into any stage of leather tanning or finishing until they have been approved as suitable for that purpose by an inspector who if he so approves shall issue to the owner or occupier a registration certificate in respect of those premises. Section 12(3)(a) refuse to approve premises if, in his opinion, they are unsuitable for the purpose, or the owner or occupier or the persons employed therein are not capable of satisfactorily preparing hides, skins and leather in the prescribed manner; Section 12(3)(b) cancel or suspend the registration certificate in respect of registered premises if the hides and skins are not being prepared, dried or cured or tanned therein in a manner which is, in his...

Section 13. Period of validity of registration certificate Section A registration certificate issued under section 12 shall, unless earlier cancelled or suspended, remain in force until the 31st December of the year in which it is issued.

Section 14. Appeals against decision Section 14(1) A person aggrieved by the decision of an inspector under section 12 may, in writing, require the inspector to supply him with written reasons for the decision. Section 14(2) Upon receipt of the reasons for the decision under subsection (1), the aggrieved person may appeal to the Cabinet Secretary in such manner as may be prescribed. [Act No. 17 of 2006 , s. 97.]

Section 15. Powers of inspection,etc. Section 15(1) An inspector, or any other person authorized in writing for the purpose by the Director, may at all reasonable times enter any premises in which a buyer or exporter or importer of hides, skins or leather carries on, or in which the inspector or other authorized person suspects him of carrying on, his business, or any premises registered under Part IV, or suspected by any inspector or other authorized person of being used for the purpose of preparing hides or skins or tanning leather or manufacturing leather goods for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act or of any rules made thereunder, or the conditions of any licence, are being observed, and may inspect any hides or skins or leather found on those premises and may take the hides, skins or leather as samples for the purpose of instituting any proceedings under this Act or under any rules made thereunder. Section 15(2) A person authorized in writing for the purpose by the Director, if he has reasonable cause to believe that an offence has been committed under this Act or under any rules made thereunder in respect of any hides, skins, leather or leather goo...

Section 16.[Repealed by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 98.]

Section 17. Dispute on buyer’s grading Section 17(1) Where the person who produces any hide, skin or leather for sale to a buyer is dissatisfied with the buyer’s grading, the dispute may be referred to a person authorized in writing for the purpose by the Director. Section 17(2) The decision of the person to whom a dispute is referred under subsection (1) shall be final and binding on both parties, and the buyer shall, if he buys the hide, skin or leather pay the price appropriate to the grade as fixed by that person.

Section 18. Registration certificate Section No person shall store any hides, skins or leather except in the premises to which the registration certificate relates. [Act No. 17 of 2006 , s. 99.]

Section 19. Offences Section 19(1) No person shall sell or offer for sale, shall be in possession of, purchase, sell or offer for sale, any green or dried hide which is smeared with blood, dung or any foreign substance. Section 19(2)(a) for the purposes of sale, treats any hide or skin with any substance which is not specified by the Director by notice in the Gazette ; Section 19(2)(b) treats or prepares a sun-dried hide or skin with the object of selling it as a shade or suspension-dried hide or skin; Section 19(2)(c) without the permission of an inspector, prepares, treats or cures any raw hide or skin with the object of selling it as leather or soaks, immerses or in any other way applies liquid to any hide or skin which has been partially or wholly dried; Section 19(2)(d) without the consent of the Director, or of an inspector authorized for the purpose by the Director, removes, alters or defaces any mark or label made on or attached to a hide, skin or leather in pursuance of this Act or of any rules made thereunder; Section 19(2)(e) makes a statement which is to his knowledge untrue in an application for any licence required under this Act or under any rules made thereunder; Se...

Section 20. Rules Section deleted by ActNo. 17 of 2006, s. 101;