STOP IT NOW

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 274, 19 November 1945, Page 4

STOP IT NOW

/"YNE of the problems of the'aftermath of war is a growth of lawlessness among certain sections of any community. This tendency has become most marked in Australia and in other countries during recent months, and there have been several incidents in New Zealand which suggested that, given the opportunity, gangsterism would increase rapidly here. In Auckland m during the week-end we have had two examples of the sort of thing* which, fortunately, New Zealand seldom experiences. In the first case the keen wits of one of the prospective victims frustrated an attempt at armed hold-up. In the second a taxidriver was robbed of his money and his car was also taken. In both cases a pistol is said to have been produced, and the flourishing of a weapon immediately raised- the incidents out of the ordinary run of petty crime. During the war years, when it was the normal thing for large numbers of people to be armed, it was inevitable that some weapons should fall into unlawful hands. Unfortunately it will be a long time before most of them are recovered. In the great majority of cases possession of a pistol does not constitute any threat to the peace of the community, but because the temptation to use the weapon for purposes of intimidation is too strong for a very small minority (as was the case last week-end) it is in the best interests of everyone that the ban on unlawful possession of arms be strictly enforced.

Similar problems were faced at the conclusion of the First World War, and in order to strengthen the hands of the police very heavy penalties were specified in the Arms Act of 1920. Possession of an automatic pistol, or any other unlawful weapon, without a proper perirfit, carries a penalty of three months' imprisonment or a fine of £100. Hard labour for life may be ordered for robbery wttlch is accompanied by violence, or the threat of violence, or if the thief is armed with any offensive weapon. The weight of the penalties reflects the serious view taken of offences of this type in New Zealand. Enforcement of the regulations, and heavy punishment, of convicted offenders, have kept the Dominion remarkably free of armed robbery. But special vigilance will be necessary during the immediate future if we are to continue to be a country where gangsterism does not pay. The whole community will be behind the police if they ask for the severest penalties in all cases where unlawful use or possession of arms is proved.- Fear of the consequences is the only preventive of crimes of violence.