POLICE OFFENDERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 55

POLICE OFFENDERS.

AMENDING LEGISLATION. WELLINGTON, July 2. The Offenders’ Probation Amendment Bill, which Mr J. A. Lee (the Labour member for ' Auckland East) has introduced in the House deals with the question of of the names of accused persons new to conflict with the law. It provides that the name of a first offender shall not be published nor shall any reference be made to his patlon or address sufficient to disclose hia identity. Another section makes an excep- , tion in favour of the court being empowered •: to permit publication of the name, address, j --*• or description, this to be permissible if, in J the opinion of the court, such publication, j owing to the nature of the offence, the dis- . position of the offender, his acting in com* j bination with others in committing the offence, or for any other reason it is desir- \ able in the interests of the public that the \ offender should be known. . The Bill also provides that section 9 of j the Offenders’ Probation Act, 1920, shall be j repealed. This section gives the court j power to prohibit publication of the nainea of accused persons. * POLICE OFFENCES. A A proposed amendment to the Police Offences Act, 1908, makes it an offence to ( obtain admission to any place without paying the fee lawfully charged for admission thereto. It is proposed to amend section 41 r of the Act the words making liable to im« prisonment with hard labour anyone who \ does an indecent act in any place, intending ' thereby to insult or offend any person, j Another proposed amendment is. that the; police may arrest and bring before a magis-/ trate or two justices persons deemed to be without lawful means of support or insuffi-l cient lawful means of support. Proof ofif guilt makes the accused liable to threat months’ imprisonment. If such persons have\ money or property the onus of proof that j it has been come by honestly lies with them*/ It is proposed to strike out of section 7 \ of the Act of 1924 the words “by night,’' ] and substitute the words “at any time,” so j that persons found by day or by night on J property without lawful excuse, but not in j circumstances disclosing criminal intent, may) be convicted and subjected to a fine or prisonment.