The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1885. THE POLICE OFFENCES ACT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1285, 3 January 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1885. THE POLICE OFFENCES ACT.

The Evening Post, which went off its head about ISir Julius Vogel not loog since, seems rather inclined to ciilicise tbe | resent Government severely now. fho Post used to support tbe Atkinson Ministry, but when Sir Ju'ins appeared in tbe field it changed its tone and changed its editor, because its former editor did not see his way to bolster up the policy then put forth. The new editor is not blind to the ridiculousness of Kime of the proceedings of the Government. He saw the wickedness of giving young Fitzgerald the compilation of what we may call the pre-Hansard speeches; he lectured IU-m severely on

the way they were demoralising the Civil Service ;• lie put forth the idea that there will be a dissolution next session, and has on many other occasions referred to them in a very damaging manner, l'he latest hit he has had at them was for the lavish way in which they are bestowing the Commission of the Peace on their supporters all over the colony. By vay of lidicule lie explains why so many Justices of the Peace have been appointed as follows : " The Police Oflvnces Act comes into force on the Ist of January, and it so bristles with newly created offences, rendering offenders liable to all sorts of penalties, that the ordinary strength of the Magisterial Bench would be quite insufficient to deal with thp offenders. Probably a large force of special constables will have to be sworn in to assist the ordinary police force ; the buildings leased for the exhibition may he temporarily used as lock-ups, and Police Courts will be required to be established in each ward of the city to sit continuously." Thus wherever the Post can find fault with the Government it does not spare them, and this can only lead to one conclusion : that is, that it is already getting tired of them. As regards the Police Offences Act it says :—'' We advise every peaceable, woul(°-be law-abiding citizen to at once provide himself with a copy of this terrible Act, and study its contents if he wishes to avoid being ignominiously •' run in," although unconscious of offence. Even small children and nursegirls are specially legislated for in the Act ; but with regard to perambulators, we notice a singular omission, inasmuch as these vehicles are not required to be licensed or numbered, or have the owner's name painted on them, or to carry a ight after sundown, neither is there any provision requiring the drivers of perambulators to take out licenses. These important points should certainly have been provided for." The new Act is certainly very stringent, but although we notice that most of our contemporaries hold that nurse-girls driving perambulators along t a footpath are liable to be fined we can- ; not agree with them. We have looked through the Act, «nd the only clause bearing on the subject is as follows : " Any person ' who rides or drives, or wheels any truck, barrow, or carriage of any kind along a public footpath ' shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £5 " This is oil we find in the Act bearing on perambulators, and it appears to us that it would be straining at a gnat to bring nurse-girls under this. Wo feel confident that the Legislature never intended that a perambulator should be regarded ns a " carnage" under this clause ; for surely, unices they intended to put an end to this very useful and convenienl vehicle, they could not think of making it a crime to drive it along a footpath. Supposing this law is put into force in either Dunedin or Christchurch, what will be the result? Surely it is not intended that perambulators shall be driven along the middle of the street, where they are liable every moment to accident? What can those living in large towns do if they are not allowed to wheel a perambulator along a footpath ? They cannot go along the middle of the street, as they might at any moment be run down by one of the numerous vehicles with which the streets are thronged, and thej cannot shoulder the perambulator and the baby until they go out into the country, The fact is : if this comes into law, the business of making perambulators will be at an end. Children will have to live in the dingy domiciles of our large cities without " a mouthful of fresh air," and the consequences to the rising generation will be disastrous. However, it is to be hoped that those who regard perambulators as carriages have overshot the mark, and that these tiny vehicle with their innocent occupants will be allowed the privilege they have hitherto enjoyed.