The Marlborough Press. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1860.

Marlborough Press, Volume I, Issue 49, 8 December 1860, Page 2

The Marlborough Press. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1860.

The Arms Bill has been repeatedly discussed in the House of Representatives, bu 4 ..until recently we knew nothing of its purport, excepting as it could be inferred from the debates. We are now, however, by Wellington papers to the Ist instant, enabled to lay before our readers some of the clauses of this bill, the operation of which would result in the virtual disarmament of the European population. Every arm, or part of an arm, is to be registered and marked, for which a fee of half-a-crown is to be paid, and a license to keep it then issued for a shilling. Those who fail to register are liable to “ imprisonment for any term not exceeding three years, with or without hard labour, and to a fine not exceeding 1 <£soo, at the discretion of the judge.’” XVII. Every person, who, having purchased any Ann, or into whose possession any Arm shall by any event have come, shall for twenty-eight days after such purchase or event, neglect or fail to produce the same for registration to the Registrar for the district within which such person may be at the time of such purchase or other event, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour. XL VI. Every person who shall remove, or cause to be removed, or attempt to remove, or assist in removing from one place in the Colony to any other place in the Colony, either by inland carriage or coastways any arms, gunpowder, or warlike stores without a license in the form B set forth in the said schedule shall be guilty of a misdemeanour : Provided that this provision shall not extend to any person carrying arms for the defence of his person or for sporting if he shall have obtained and shall have a license in the form E in the said schedule as hereinafter mentioned. XLVII. Any person who shall carry arms for the defence of his person or for sporting without a license in the form F in the said schedule or after the expiration of the time mentioned in any such license, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour. XLVIII. Every person who shall make, construct, amend, repair, or render serviceable any arms, gunpowder, or warlike stores without a license in the form C in the said schedule, or at any place other than the place mentioned in such license as his place of business, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour. [Note.—The penalty for a misdemeanour was to be in all cases the same —Imprisonment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding three years and a fine of not exceeding £SOO at the discretion of the Judge.] L. Every person who shall have in his possession any gun or other firearm without a license in the form B in the said schedule shall be guilty of a misdemeanour. LXVI. It shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace to enter and search, or to o-rant without information on oath, a warrant to any person to enter, and search any ship, house, or place, where such Justice shall have reasonable grounds to suspect any Anns, Gunpowder, or warlike stores to ]></ deposited for any purpose contrary to this Act, and to seize and detain any such Arms, Gunpowder, or warlike stores, until a Justice of the Peace shall have decided whether the same arc the subject of any offence under this Act. LXVIII. Any justice of the Peace who may have reasonable ground for making such search as aforesaid, and any person

holding a warrant from a Justice of the Peace directing a search to he made, and any person acting in his aid or assistance, may enter into any house or place at any time. In order to effect such search,' and in case admittance shall he refused to such Justice of the Peace, or other person, or shall' not he obtained hy them within a reasonable time after it shall have been first demanded, then may enter hy force into such house or place, in order to effect such search. Every person who shall sell or dispose of, with or without price or reward, any Arms, gunpowder, or warlike stores, to any person whomsoever, or shall attempt to sell or dispose of, or shall negotiate for the sale of or part with the actual possession of any arms, gunpowder, or warlike stores to any person whomsoever without a license in the form B in the said schedule, shall he guilty of felony. Every person convicted of felony under the provisions of this Act, shall he liable to penal servitude for any term not exceeding six years and not less than three years. Any Justice of the Peace may, “ without information on oath,’ 1 but on what he may deem “reasonable ground, 1 ’ order our houses to be searched “ at any time, 11 by “ any person 11 whom he may think proper to depute, and “ seize and detain any arms, gunpowder, or warlike stores until a Justice of the Peace shall have decided whether the same are the subject of any offence under this act. 11 The bill also authorises the Governor to reward informers to the amount of £IOO. Under such a law, we imagine that every one would hasten to relieve himself of arms or parts of arms, and the responsibility attached to their possession. Our boy in the office has a pop-gun, and having a great antipathy to personal restraint, and having resolved himself into a committee of ways and means, and decided that he has not £SOO to spare, has declared his determination to burn the said pop-gun with great form and ceremony immediately on the said bill becoming law. Ministers carried the second reading of the bill, but afterwards consented to refer it to a Select Committee. The division is as follows: Ayes—Messrs. Stafford, Weld, Heale, Brown, Clark, Moorhouse, Farmer, King, Bell, Monro, Kelling, Cookson, Jollie, J. C. Richmond, Curtis, Haultain, Campbell, Domett, Sewell, C. W. Richmond (teller), —20. Noes—Messrs. Ward, Brandon, Renall, Forsaith, Fitzherbert, Fox, Carter, Graham, Rhodes, Henderson, Carleton, Daldy, Featherston, Williamson, Gillies, (teller), —ls.