Extradition bill amended

Press, 19 July 1976, Page 14

Extradition bill amended

The Government hurried through Parliament on Thursday a Fugitive Offenders Amendment Bill, in order that Courts would have power today to permit the extradition to Australia of two men appearing before the Auckland Magistrate’s Court, reports the Press Association. The Minister of Justice (Mr Thomson) (old Parliament the legislation was required as a result of a case earlier this year when the Supreme Court found it was powerless to order the extradition of offenders wanted [for trial in other Commonwealth countries. The Opposition agreed with the Government on the need to pass the measure, which will replace a 95-year-o!d British bill. The validity of the 1881 act was questioned by a Supreme Court judge in Auckland earlier this year and he ruled the act gave no jurisdiction to extradite people [from New Zealand. One of the Australians to (appear in the Magistrate’s! ‘Court in Auckland yesterday ‘faces a charge of murder.! [The other, a 32-year-old jcamera operator, is wanted by the Australian police on a charge of armed robbery of a bank in Queensland. The lawyer of the man [charged with armed robbery said the new amendment bill was still defective. Mr D. R. Lange claimed that the amendment had been made without dealing with the role of a magistrate in extradition proceedings. [ Mr Lange told the Court ■that, despite his view of the ‘amendment, it was now in [the best interests of the [accused, both from the [psychiatric and human point [of view, to return to Aus-

tralia. The accused, he said, was not going to get better psychiatrically until the matter had been disposed of. The Magistrate, Mr H. Y. [Gilliand. S.M., granted the (extradition order.

In Parliament the Opposition believed the bill was a hasty measure, and sought to have it amended, but the Government, would not accept the move. Arrangements were made for the bill to be given the Royal Assent .on Thursday night in order that, it would be operative yesterday.