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EXPLOSIVES ACT, 1884 EXPLOSIVES ACT, 1884 4 of 1884 STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS (1) "The object of this Bill is to provide a comprehensive law regulating the manufacture, keeping, sale, conveyance and importation of explosives throughout British India. The matter was first brought to the notice of the Government in connection with an application made by the Agents of Nobel's Explosive Company, Limited, for permission to import dynamite manufactured by the Company. The Government of Bombay, to whom the application was made referred the question to a Committee, which reported that the expendiency of allowing the importation into that Presidency, of dynamite and other preparations of nitroglycerine was doubtful. The Government of Bombay forwarded a copy of this report to the Government of India with a request that the importation of preparations of nitro-glycerine might be prohibited until further notice by notification under the Sea Customs Act. Before complying with this request the Government of India thought it well to consult the Governments of Madras and Bengal. In reply, both Governments expressed an opinion that the importation of these explosives should not be forbidden. The Government of Bengal further submitted a draft set of rules to regulate the importation, package, transport and storage of dynamite and similar substances, together with a report which had been prepared by a Committee appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor to consider the entire subject. This Committee, while recommending that the draft rules should be published as rules under the Indian Arms Act, 1878, suggested the enactment of a comprehensive Imperial Act of a similar nature to the English Explosives Act, 1875 (38 Vie., c. 17), which would in a convenient and compendious Code deal with the subject of explosives in its entirety and furnish the public, as well as Government officials, with an easy means of ascertaining their duties, responsibilities and powers respecting articles which by their inflammable, explosive or dangerous nature imperil the public safety. It appears to the Government of India that it would bean abuse of the powers conferred by the Indian Arms Act, 1878, to make rules of the nature of those submitted by the Bengal Committee under that Act, There are, no doubt, powers conferred by the Indian Arms Act which might at first sight, seem to authorise the making of such rules; but the object to which such rules are directed is altogether different from that of the Act. The object of the Arms Act was to enable the Government more effectually to prevent arms and ammunition (which term under