OFFICIAL SECRETS.

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1921, Page 4

OFFICIAL SECRETS.

SOME REMARKABLE PROVISIONS IN NEW BILL. The Official Secrets Bill, which is an adaptation of the Imperial Official Secrets Act of 1911 and 1920, has been introduced in the Upper House by the Attorney-General (Sir Francis Bell). The Bill provides penalties for spyng. In prosecutions for this offence t shall not be necessary to show that the accused was guilty of any particu'ar act tending to show a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State. The accused may be convicted if, from the circumstances of the ease, or his conduct or his known character as proved, it appears that his purpose was of the. kind referred to. Communication with foreign agents is to be evidence that the accused has obtained, or attempted to obtain, information which might be useful to an I enemy. Hard labour for a period not exceeding two years is the penalty for wrongful communication of confidential information, or for conduct imperilling ts secrecy. Definitions of places which may not be entered are given, and power is taken to proclaim places as i prohibited, on the ground that informa- ! tion with respect to them would be r useful to an enemy. The AttorneyGeneral may require the production of telegrams when he considers that such a course is expedient to the public interest. • The penalty for refusing originals or transcripts is imprisonment with hard labour for a term not exceeding three months, or a fine not exceeding £5O, or both imprisonment and fine. Any person who is reasonably suspected of having committed, having attempted to commit, or being about to commit, an offence under the Act may be arrested in the same manner as a person found committing a crime. The registration of persons carrying on the business of receiving postal packets, and the regulation of the business, so that proper records may be available, are provided for. A similar penalty of two years gaol is provided for harbouring spies, and for failing to give information demanded as to the commission of offences. The maximum term of imprisonment for anv offence under the Act is 14 years. One remarkable proposal is to give exceptional authority to deal with companies and corporate bodies. It is intended to meet a possible case in which the offending agent of the corporation, such as a foreign bank, cannot be traced. There is a right of appeal allowed.