A WAR RELIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 110, 5 November 1937, Page 3

A WAR RELIC

PISTOL CONFISCATED

Pleading guilty to being in posse* sion of an automatic pistol without « licence, Roland Leslie Cress, waterside worker, appeared before Mr. J. H. Lux. ford, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court today. The pistol was a .32 calibre wartime weapon of German make. Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle said that the matter came under the notice of the police when the defendant's house was broken into and the pistol and other articles taken. The pistol was later recovered, and- was found to be unregistered. The defendant's explanation was that the pistol was sent out to New Zealand during the Great War with other property of a brother of the defendant who was killed in action^ and had - been, in the family's possession ever since. No application had been made to register it. The offence was regarded as a serious one, and a penalty of £100 or three months' imprisonment was provided for. ; Mr. F. W. Ongley, who appeared for the defendant, said that his client wast twelve years of age at the time the pistol was sent back. It had been in the possession of his father and another brother,'and was regarded as a family treasure. Actually it had been in New Zealand fourteen years before the defendant gained possession. He asked if the case could not be held over until a licence could be applied for. The Magistrate stated that it was the responsibility of the Minister to hand the pistol back or retain it after forfeiture. A conviction automatically entailed the forfeiture of the weapon. The defendant was convicted and discharged. ■'- ■ ■