ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 5, 7 January 1927, Page 8

ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT

NEW LEGISLATION OPERATES,

The- first prosecutions under: section-. 4^ subsection 1, of, the Police Offences Amendment. Act, 192(5, which gives power to the police to arrest without ■warrant persons who 'they have reasonable 'cause to believe have insufficient lawful means of support, were heard in the Magistrate's Court to-day before Mr. W. G. Kiddell, S.M. Three men—George Newman (36), Frederick Taylor, (30), and Hugh .Shannon (44)—twere charged.:with being, idle and disorderly persons with insufficient lawful means of support.

' Sub-Inspector Harvey called evidence to show that the accused were found sleeping out on the slopes of Mount Victoria--'on Wednesday night, one o£ the men having a bottle of methylated spirits in his pocket. Complaints had previously been made about their habits, said the sub-in-spector, and all three had previous convictions against them.

"The holidays are over. You had better get to work as quickly as possible," said Mr. Riddell, in convicting each of the men and ordering them. to come up for sentence, if called upon, within six months.

Under the Police Offences ■ Act; 1908, it is pointed out, arrests in such cases could not be made without ■ warrants.' The amending Act also provides that if.. the person arrested fails to prove to the satisfaction of the Justice that he has sufficient lawful means of support, or that such means of support as he has are lawful, he shall be deemed to be an idle ana disorderly person within the meaning of the principal Act, and shall be liable to three 'months' imprisonment. In addi' tion, the onus is placed on the arrested person to prove that his money and' property have been honestly come by.