CONVERSION OF CARS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 87, 9 October 1935, Page 12

CONVERSION OF CARS

DEASTIC PENALTIES

COMPENSATION TO OWNERS

Drastic penalties for the unlawful conversion of motor-cars and other vehicles are provided for in the Police Offences Amendment Bill, which was introduced into the. House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Governor-General's Message.

The Bill provides that every person commits an offence who, unlawfully and without colour of right but hot so as to be guilty of theft, takes or converts to his use or the use of any other person any of the following things:—(a) Any motor-car-or other vehicle or carriage of any description, (b) any launch, yacht, boat, or other vessel, (c). any aircraft, (d) any part of any vehicle, carriage, vessel, or aircraft, and (c) any horse. Offences are to be triable either summarily or on indictment.

Every person who commits an offence is to be liable as follows:— (a) On conviction on indictment, to a fine of £200 or to imprisonment for two years, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(b) On summary conviction of an indictable offence, to a fine of £100 or to imprisonment for one year, or to both such fine and imprisonment. . (c) On summary conviction of other than an indictable offence, to a fine of £50 or imprisonment for three months or to both such fine and imprisonment. If on the trial of any person on a charge of theft the jury or the Justices, as the case may be, are of the opinion that the accused is not guilty of theft but is guilty of unlawful conversion he may be found guilty of such an offence and is to be/ punishable as if he had been convicted under (a) and (c) as above.

In addition to any penalty imposed, the convicting Court may order the person convicted to pay to the owner a sum not exceeding the estimated value of the thing taken or converted by way of compensation for any damage. The money ordered to be paid is to be recoverable in .the same manner as .fines. An order for the payment of compensations is not to effect the right of the owner or any other person to recover damages by civil action.

Constables are given the right to arrest without warrant persons whom they have reason to believe have committed or are about to commit an offence under the Bill.