STERN WARNING.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1922, Page 6

STERN WARNING.

UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS. Auckland, Dec. 19. A defence put up in the Police Coiu’t this morning, that a man charged with bringing a firearm into New Zealand without a permit carried the weapon for self-protection, proved useless. The Magistrate (Mr. Poynton) stated that the Court would afford people protection, and he issued a stern warning that any individual found in unlawful possession of a firearm in future would incur the full penalty—a fine of £lOO or three months’ imprisonment. The man charged in this instance was William Alfred Aubrey Morris, a young seaman on the steamer Kauri, who had been found with a revolver in his possession. Mr. Poynton said that the matter could not be overlooked. The use of revolvers was a very serious matter just now. We were affected by Labor disturbances, one side against the other, and the use of revolvers might lead to massacre. There had lately been reports of a massacre of miners in America, the shooting of a dozen sheriff’s officers there, and the shooting of the President of Poland, whilst the wish of the majority in Ireland was overthrown by a few people with firearms. If the carrying of revolvers was permitted here, we would have the same state of things. In conclusion. Mr. Poynton said: ‘fl cannot overlook this. Defendant is fined £lO, and the revolver is declared confiscated. I am issuing a warning now that if there is any more of this revolver business during this Labor trouble the full limit of punishment will be imposed—a fine of £lOO, or three months’ imprisonment. Therefore others had better not follow the defendant’s example.”