CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC PISTOL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 304, 17 September 1921, Page 8

CARTRIDGES FOR AUTOMATIC PISTOL

ILLEGAL POSSESSION.' The first prosecution under the Arms Act,' 1920, took place yesterday, when Henry Janies Williams was charged before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., with liaving uillawfully possessed seven rounds of cartridges specially adapted for uso with an automatic pistol Chief Detective Boddam, who is the local registering officer.under the ArmsAct. appeared for tho police, and Mr. A. B. Sievwright for the defendant, who pleaded guilty. Tho Chief Detective said, that the information was laid under section 3, 6iib-section 1, of the Arms Act, 1920. rhe znaximuin penalty was a fine of .£lO6. or imprisonment for three months. Fhe facts were,that on February 14 last the occiised, who was a returned soldier, and ■ had an automatic pistol in Ins possession made an application to the Minister of Defence, for a license to retain tlrn pistol. The application was passed ever to the police for. inquiry, nnd i.c.n- -: stable -farrold interviewed the defendant. The object of the interview was to make file defendant fully aware of the position. and ho was informed that even i he obtained n license to retain the pistol bn could not I>o in possession of ammunition. The defendant denied having am --ammunition in his possession. As the result of information received, Constable Jan-old obtained a search war. rant and found seven rounds of earl-T-dn’-s amon" the defondant s effects. p n ,;„ were found at the residence in Knrori Road and some on the training Bhip Amokura, on which the defendant was employed. For the defendant. Mr. . Sievwnght snid that tho automatic pistol, which I a German weapon, was picked up by V'i lianis on the battlefield in France. Wh'n tho Arms Act came into (Peration pistol was handed to the police, and T f.,r o« tho defendant knew then bo Vd not possess any ammunition. Apr (I-,. iLc cartridges were fonnd among Couutol did not think there was one returned soldier who had not to-night back with him some souvenirs from the front. The statement made hv 1 f nJ'inf to the police was a bona fide 'Y-T Williams did not. know that Im ° in possession of these cartridges. ; offend was one of the mildest that could occur under the Arms Act. Mr Hunt fined the defendant 4fo. and costs.’ and said tho defendant could ocnridor .tlyit he had b ? en"lenrent^ ; .d ? alt, with.'