CRIMES AMENDMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 155, 1 July 1914, Page 7

CRIMES AMENDMENT.

ALTERATION IN AGE OF CONSENT. j INCREASED PUNISHMENT I PROPOSED. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The Crimes Amendment Bill, which ■the Attornp.AGeneral Sntrodueted 'this afternoon, contains some significant proposals relating to the age of consent in the law concerning the delilement of girls;, and also proposed substantial increase in the maximum penalty for sexual offences against girls and women of weak intellect. Inter alia the bill proposed to raise the age of cons-ent in cases of indecent assault from sixteen to eighteen years, while it al?o abolishes the admission of the plea that accused bad reasonable ground to suppose the girl was nf or over the age of consent. The condition is added, however, that no prosecution for defiling girls between the ages of twelve and fnurteen years. shall be commenced without the leave in Iwriting of the Attorney-General. Tn the matter nf the defiling or attempted defilement of an idint or imbecile woman or girl, the maximum penalty is in-crca.-ed from two year.?' imprisonment, with hard labour and flogging, to live years' imprisonment. The following subclause is added, "In every case where the leave of the Attorney-General to prosecute is required by this Act. judicial notice shall be taken of the signature of the Attorney-General to "any document indicating his leave to prosecute."