Trade Licensing in Natal by D. D. Will

Trade Licensing in Natal by D. D. Will is an important and increasingly scarce reference work documenting the legal framework governing trade licensing in the Province of Natal during the early years of the Republic of South Africa. Published in 1963 by Shuter & Shooter of Pietermaritzburg, this authoritative guide was written by advocate D. D. Will, an Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa, and provides a detailed examination of the legislation, procedures, and judicial principles relating to the granting and administration of trade licences.

Trade Licensing in Natal covers the historical development of licensing legislation in Natal, the powers and duties of licensing authorities, the role of town councils and rural licensing boards, hearing procedures, appeals to local authorities and the Supreme Court, judicial review, licensing conditions, licence renewals, manufacturers’ licences, boarding house licences, and the administration of licensing law. It also includes the relevant licensing by-laws for Pietermaritzburg, making it a valuable primary source for researchers studying local government, municipal administration, South African legal history, and commercial regulation.

Today this volume appeals not only to legal historians but also to collectors of Africana, Natal and KwaZulu-Natal publications, Pietermaritzburg imprints, municipal history, and South African law. Works of this nature were produced in relatively small print runs and were primarily intended for legal practitioners, making surviving copies increasingly difficult to obtain. Trade Licensing in Natal represents an important snapshot of the legal and commercial environment immediately following the introduction of the national licensing framework of the early 1960s.

Condition – Very Good

1963 hardcover in blue cloth with white stamped titles to the front board and spine. The binding remains sound and clean. Heavy age-related page discoloration is present to the end matter, with foxing throughout the text block, consistent with age.