ARMS IMPORTATION BILL.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 72, 21 February 1846, Page 4

ARMS IMPORTATION BILL.

Passed, Saturday, December 13th, 1845. Whereas certain tribes of the native race of New Zealand have taken up arms against the Queen's sovereign authority : — And whereas for the purpose of effectually subduing the present insurrection, and preventing the recurrence of an armed resistance to the authority of her Majesty, aud of securing the peace and good order of the colony, it is expedient that restrictions should, on fitting occasions, be placed on the importation and sale of arms, gunpowder, and other warlike stores, within the same. Be it therefore enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows (that is to say) : 1. It shall be lawful for his Excellency the Governor from time to time, as to him shall seem meet by proclamation, to prohibit throughout the colony, or within any district thereof (to be in such proclamation defined), the importation or sale, or both the importation and sale, of arms, gunpowder, and other warlike stores. 2. It shall also be lawful for his Excellency the Governor from time to time, as to him shall seem meet by proclamation, to make provision for regulating and restricting throughout the colony, or within any district thereof (to be in such proclamation defined), the importation or sale, or both the importation and sale, of arms, gunpowder, and other warlike stores. 3. Every person who shall import or bring into the colony, any arms, gunpowder, or other warlike stores (whether the owner thereof or not), and who shall willingly and knowingly, and contrary to the ptcvisions of any such proclamation, as aforesaid, land, or dispose of, or cause or permit to be landed, or otherwise disposed of, such arms, gunpowder, or other warlike stores, or any part thereof, shall for every such offence, forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding £500, to be recovered in a summary way. And any arras, gunpowder, or other warlike stores, which shall have been imported and landed, or otherwise disposed of, contrary to the provisions of any such proclamation as aforesaid, shall be forfeited to her Majesty, and may be seized by any Justice of the Peace, or Peace Officer, or by any officer of her Majesty's Customs, or by any persons duly authorised and appointed in writing by" his Excellency the Governor. 4. The master or person commanding the ship or vessel in which such arras, gunpowder, or other warlike stores shall have been imported/ if he shall wilfully and knowingly, and contrary to the provisions of any such proclamation, as aforesaid, land, or dispose of, or cause or permit to be landed, or otherwise disposed of, such arms, gunpowder, or other warlike stores, or any part thereof, shall also, for every such offence, forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding £500, to be recovered in a summary way. And upon the conviction of any such master or person, such ship or vessel, with all her and apparel, shall be forfeited to her Majesty, and may b~ seized by any Justice of the Peace, or Peace Officer, or by any officer of her Majesty's Customs, or by any person duly authorised and appointed by his Excellency the Governor. 5. Every person who shall wilfully and knowingly, and contrary to the provisions of any such proclamation, as aforesaid, sell, or dispose of, any arms, gunpov/der, or other warlike stores, shall for every such offence, for'eit and pay any sum not exceeding £500, to be recovered in a summary way; and all arms, gunpowder, and other warlike stores, so unlawfully sold or disposed of, shall be forfeited to her Majesty, and may be seized in manner hereinbefore provided. 6. It shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace to enter and search, or to grant a warrant to any person or persons, to enter and search any house, place, ship or vessel, where

•uch justice shall, from informstiouDfi oatb, have reasonable ground to suspect any arms, gunpowder, or other warlike stores, to be deposited for any purpose contrary to this ordinance. 7. In case of any conviction under the provisions of this ordinance, where any pert on or persons shall appear to have been active in, or towards, the procuring jiny such conviction, it shall be lawful for his Excellency the Governor to award to such person or persons, such portion of the penalty recovered upon such conviction, but not exceeding in the whole one-half thereof, as to him shall seem meet. For the purposes of this ordinance the word " Governor," shall be taken to include the Lieutenant-Go tremor, or the Officer administering the government of the colony for the time being ; and the word "Vessel," shall be taken to include any boat, barge, punt, or canoe. George Grey, Lieutenant-Governor.