FAILURE TO REGISTER REVOLVER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3725, 3 December 1927, Page 3

FAILURE TO REGISTER REVOLVER.

RESULTS IN ITS CONFISCATION OWNER FINED. At the local S.M. Court- yesterday, before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., Roa Larkins (Manawaroa Te Awe Awe), of Rangiotu, was charged iwith having in his possession an unregistered revolver. Constable Owen stated that the circumstances which led up to the discovery of the unregistered revolver were somewhat unusual. Some time ago two natives were arrested in the Taupo district and were found to be in possession of revolvers. They could not give satisfactory answers as to how they came to be in possession of the firearms and they had eventually been traced back to Mr. Roa Larkins' 'at Rangiotu. One of the accused had been in his employ some four years ago, and according to Mr. Larkins, must have stolen the revolvers which he had not missed until the recent enquiries were made. One N revolver had not been registered and the prosecution had resulted. Altogether Mr. Larkins had quite an armoury at his residence possessing thirteen rifles and. guns of various makes and calibres and including three revolvers, and even flint-lock weapons. The Department asked that an order be made for the forfeiture of the revolver.

Mr. Merton, who appeared for defendant, said ithei revolver in question had belonged to Mr. Larkins’ father who had died previously to the Arms Act coming into force. In the settling up of the family affairs the weapon had been overlooked and had lain in a draw until it had been removed by the Taupo natives. He urged that his client be allowed to retain the weapon as it was regarded more in -the nature of an heirloom.

The S-M. considered that. there was no necessity for defendant to have the weapon in his possession. He already had two others. He facetiously remarked that defendant should give the flintlock and muzzle-loading guns to a museum. If he tried to use some of them they ipight prove very dangerous to him. The revolver would be safer in the police station and an order for its confiscation was made and defendant convicted and fined £2 with costs 12/-.