THE ARMS ACT.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3940, 8 April 1870, Page 3

THE ARMS ACT.

Wk published on Wednesday the boundaries of " The Auckland South District," as pro. claimed under the Arms Act, 1860, and the Arms Act Amendment Act, 1860. The proclamation is dated March 19 ; and some of the clauses of the Act of 1869 are of importance as regard's time — reckoning from the date of the proclamation — as well as otherwise. By clause 4, it is provided that, within thirty days after the proclamation of any district^ every person desirous of keeping, or then having, any arms in the district, is to deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Licensing Officer, an application in a specified form, specifying the then place of residence of the applicant where he keeps or intends to keep arms, and the number and description of such arms. The applicant is to produce or forward a certificate by two Justices resident in the district, that he is himself a resident, and is a fit person to be licensed to keep arms (clause 5) ; and the Licensing Officer is then without fee or reward to issue a license, stating the letter — in the present case, "A" — and number of such arms, the place in which they are to be kept, &c. A license must (clause 8), within such times as shall be fixed by the Licensing Officer under the Act, produce to the Licensing Officer the arms specified in the license, and the license itself, for inspection ; and if the arms are found to correspond, they shall be stamped with letter and number by such person as the officer shall direct, and be then re-delivered to the licensee. A licensee, rem'ovirigta another proclaimed district (clause 9), must give ndtiee, and produce his arms and license to the officei v far such district ; neglect so to do for a period of two months subjecting the licensee to a penalty not exceeding £20. Notice must also be given, within twa months, to the officer of a district, if a liceiist'e? removes to a place not within a proclaimed district > neglect so to do subjecting to liability to be fined in any sum not exceeding £20. Clause 11 reads thus:— "Any person, whether licensed or not under the said Act to have in possession or keen avma, who shall, after the proclamation of any district including the place where he shall reside, have in his custody or possession for thirty days or more any arms, without having obtained, under the provisions of the fourth and fifth sections of this Act a license for such arms ; or any person who shall, after the expiration of the time limited by this Act for marking the arms whi^h he may be licensed to keep, have in hia custody or possession any arms not duly marked as aforesaid, shall upon being convicted thereof forfeit any sum not exceeding 4100, and all such arms shall m every such case be forfeited to the use of her Majesty if the Jnstieea before whom such oormotum shall take plaoe shall so adjudge." The provisi ns 01" the Act do not of course apply to any licensed manufacturer or dealer, or to persons employed by them for the pomof. trade, *c, u^