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FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1981
IN INCLUDING THEM IN THE LIST, CONSIDERATION WAS GIVEN TO THE FACT THAT:
* THEY CAN BE EASILY CONCEALED-
* THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY MANUFACTURED AS OFFENSIVE
WEAPONS-
* THEY HAVE A BACKGROUND OF BEING USED IN THE COMMISSION
OF CRIMES- AND
* NO GOOD REASON EXISTS FOR ANY PERSON TO POSSESS THEM.
IF THE BILL IS PASSED, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE IN POSSESSION OF SUCH +PROHIBITED WEAPONS+ WILL BE GIVEN A PERIOD OF GRACE TO SURRENDER THEM.
AS FOR MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS, THE OBTAINING OF POSSESSION OF SUCH WEAPONS BY A MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION OR A MEMBER OF SUCH ASSOCIATION WILL HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED TO THE POLICE WITHIN 48 HOURS. HOWEVER, PERSONS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF SUCH ASSOCIATIONS NEED NOT NOTIFY THE POLICE IF THEY HAVE THEM.
DISPOSAL OF THE WEAPONS MUST ALSO BE NOTIFIED, AND A
PERMIT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE IR REMOVAL FROM THE IR NOTIFIED PLACE OF STORAGE. THE POLICE WILL CONTACT EXISTING MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS WHO ARE KNOWN TO POSSESS SUCH WEAPONS TO EXPLAIN THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED.
UNDER THE BILL, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE MAY ORDER THE SURRENDER OR SEIZURE OF MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS IF HE SUSPECTS TRIAD CONNECTIONS OR WHERE THERE IS A CONVICTION INVOLVING VIOLENT CRIME OR POSSESSION OF AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON.
THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR AN OFFENCE COMMITTED IN CONTRAVENTION OF ANY OF THESE REQUIREMENTS IS A FINE OF $5 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS.
A HEAVIER FINE OF $10 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE YEARS MAY BE IMPOSED IF THE ASSOCIATION OR PERSON, HAVING ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A SEIZURE OR DELIVERY ORDER, LATER POSSESS OTHER MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE POLICE.
IN ORDER TO MINIMISE INCONVENIENCE TO THOSE COMPLYING WITH THE EXISTING LAW, MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS OR THE IR MEMBERS WHO ARE ALREADY HOLDERS OF LICENCES OR EXEMPTION PERMITS UNDER THE EXISTING ARMS AND AMMUNITION ORDINANCE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE NOTIFIED POSSESSION OF THE WEAPONS.
IN ADDITION, IF THE BILL IS PASSED, MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS OR THEIR MEMBERS WHO POSSESS MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS WITHOUT LICENCES OR EXEMPTION PERMITS WILL BE GIVEN A PERIOD OF GRACE TO NOTIFY THE IR OWNERSHIP OF SUCH WEAPONS.
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