CO129-298 - Governor Sir Blake Administrator Major Gen Gascoigne - 1900 [3-4] — Page 480

It has been thought expedient to re-enact section 6 of Ordinance 8 of 1895 in a somewhat modified form so as to make the question whether a licence or export permit is required depend not upon the residence of the purchaser or the value of arms or ammunition sold, but upon the ques- tion whether the arms or ammunition are sold for use within the Colony or for export from the Colony,

It has been found by experience that purchasers and sellers of arms do not always export those arms by the vessel named in the export permit, but sometimes divert the arms to other secret purposes, and it has, therefore, been thought expolient to check this practice by the following new provisions—

(1) By compelling a vendor of arms or ammunition for the purposes of export to procure a mate's receipt for them. (Clause 7.)

(2) By providing for the registration of places where arms or ammunition are stored or to be stored. (Clause 11.)

(8) By compelling dealers to keep a stock book and a sales book and by empowering the Police to inspect and compare these hooks. (Clauses 13, 14, and 15.)

(4) By reudering a purchaser of arts or ammunition, who supplies fulse particulars to a vendor liable to punishment. (Clause 17.)

The following very necessary new provisions are also included in this Bill, namely:--

(1) The prohibition of the movement of arms or am- manition within the Colony or the waters thereof (except for the purpose of export under an export permit, without a removal permit. (Clanse 8);

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(2) The prohibition of the storing of arms or ammu- nition except at the places registered for that purpose. (Clause 12);

(3) The prohibition agaiust the importation of arms or ammunition except at the port of Victoria. (Clause 18);

(4) The labelling of arins and ammunition. (Clause

19);

(5) The power of the Police to open boxes or packages

(Clause 20):

(6) An extended power of forfeiting arms and ammu- uition in respect of which an offence has been committed (Clause 29); and

(7) An entirely new power of forfeiting arms and ammunition which are without any apparent owner. (Clause 30.)

Clause 11 of the Bill raises the aunusi licence fee of dealers in arms to $1,300 per year instead of $10 (except in the case of retail dealers for sporting purposes only who are to pay the same licence fee as horetofore), because it is thought that, in a responsible business like this, a substantial licence fee ought to be paid.

A very necessary proviso is introduced to the effect that arms or ammunition moved by land or water in the Colony should be enclosed in secure boxes and labelled (clause 19).

It may

be mentioned that penalties for breaches of the law are in some instances rendered more severe, (compare section 28 with section 2 of Ordinance 14 of 1895, and section 16 with sections 12 and 13 of Ordinance 8 of 1895).

479

As regaris the interpretavion clause ";

'gumporder"

is omitted in the definition of "Afmunition", as it is dealt.

by

with other Legislation. Among the exempted"persons", Officers

A

of Foreign Governments are included instead of "any person"

"in the Naval or Military or Civil Services of any foreign"

"power".(see Section 5 of Ordinance 8 of 1895); and Common jurors

are no longer exempted, as a case occurred in which such

exemption

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