THE CRIMES ACT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 21 October 1937, Page 11

THE CRIMES ACT.

DEFECT IN WORDING

A CHARGE DISAIISSED

For Press Association. AUCKLAND, Oct. 20. An omission from tlic wording of the Crimes Act, which contains no reference to such buildings as the pavilions of sports bodies, was commented on by Mr Justice Fair during his address to the Grand Jury at the opening of the criminal sessions m the Supreme Oourfc* Charges were liud. against a Maori of having broken into the pavilion of the Pukekolie racecourse and stolen property from the golf club’s room there. Owing to the defect mentioned ill the Act a charge was laid against the man of having broken into a “warehouse.” His Honour said tho Grand Jury ought to find no bill on the first and fourth counts because the essence of those counts was that accused had broken into a “warehouse.” A warehouse was a storehouse in which mercantile goods were stored. Although that meaning had to be extended at times, by no reasonable extension could a pavilion on a racing club’s property used by a golf club be called a warehouse. It appeared that by the defect in the Crimes Act a building of this kind was not covered by the word “warehouse.” That was the only word that looked like describing this type of building. Following His Honour’s direction the Grand Jury rejected tho two counts of breaking and entering.