Bill redefines ‘private eyes,’ security guards

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 27

Bill redefines ‘private eyes,’ security guards

I PA Wellington : A bill making several Dig changes to legislation cov- . ering private investigators and security guards was introduced by the Minister of ; Justice (Mr T 1 omson). Introducing the Private Investigators and Security Guards Amendment Bill, Mr Thomson said the original 1974 act, which controls and disciplines security guards and private investigators, : was working well, but there were procedural changes needed. The main changes related to the definition of a private investigator, and to the security guard’s licence. The bill will exclude from the term ‘‘private investigator” anyone who seeks, supplies, or obtains information “only as a necessary, usual, or reasonable incident of any other activity that is not in itself the work of a private investigator.”

n. The exclusion will include st the dissemination of news or - i other information to the si public or for any cultural, -1 historical, literary, or scienfltific purpose. The bill will also amend -|the definition of “security yj guard” to include a person r ■ who carries on the business 1 of monitoring alarms, cami eras, or similar devices on si other people’s premises, d “Under the present act a el person who is issued with a s security guard's licence may have sought that licence to d | allow him to carry on the e| business of guarding proper- » ty,” said Mr Thomson. I "There is nothing, how* i ever, to prevent him carry- • ing on the business of offer- > ing electronic surveillance s systems, although he may - not be a suitable person to e carry on such business,” he - said. : The bill will be referred to - the Statutes Revision Committee for submissions.