WAR ON COINERS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3843, 7 December 1936, Page 6

WAR ON COINERS

DRASTIC LAW IN BRITAIN. HEAVY PENALTIES PROVIDED. One of the most drastic laws ever passed in Britain, so far as the severity of sentences goes, came into operation on August 1. It is the Coinage Offences Act, and is designed to cover every conceivable offence connected with coinage. For seme of the offences the penalty is penal servitude for life, with a minimum of three years. This is the punishment provided for any person who is convicted of falsely making or counterfeiting any coin resembling a current gold or silver coin. A nice distinction is made between that offence and a similar offence if the coin resembles a copper coin. To constitute the offence it will not be necessary to prove that the making for counterfeiting is complete, ready for uttering. It will be sufficient if the coin is neither perfected nor finished. A favourite practice of the coiners is dealt with in another section. This ordains that it shall be a felony, punishable with penal servitude for life (in any case not less than three years), for any person to gild, silver, wash, caseover or colour any coin whatsover resembling any current gold or silver coin, or by such process to make a*<y current coppsi coin resemble any current gold or silver coin. In the same category of offences is included the filling or alteration of any silver coin to make it resemble a gold coin, or any copper coin, with intent to make it appear to be a gold or silver current coin. The Act makes it illegal to impair, diminish or lighten any current or gold or silver coin for fraudulent purposes. The penalty is penal servitude for not less than three and not more than 14 years. A provision of importance to persons not necessarily having any criminal intent is that which makes it an offence to deface any current coin by stamping thereon any name or words, whereby the coin is or is not thereby

diminished or lightened. This is a misdemeanour and punishable with a years’ imprisonment. A person who utters such a coin will be liable to a fine of £2. Ariy coin which has been defaced will in future not be legal tender. The Act contains special provisions relating to the uttering and “putting off ’ of false or counterfeit coins. It also makes the uttering still more serious, so far as punishment is concerned, if the offender at the time of tendering the false coin, has in his possession any other counterfeiting coin, or within ten days of the uttering of the coin tenders another counterfeit. Those who work in league with the coiners are not overlooked, and the traffic in false coins is drastically dealt with by the Act. Every person, it declares, who without lawful authority or excuse (the proof whereof shall lie on the accused person) buys, sells, receives or offers to buy, sell or receive any false coin, shall be liable to penal servitude for life in respect of gold and silver coins, and up to seven years in respect of copper coins.