SEAMAN WITH REVOLVER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16920, 20 December 1922, Page 4

SEAMAN WITH REVOLVER

warKed by magistrate. 1 • (Per Fresh Association.) AUCKLAND. December 19. A defence put *ip in the Rolice Court this moi'ning, that a defendant who was charged with bringing a firearm into New Zealand without a permit, carried the weapon f#r self-protectiou. proved useless, Mr J. W. Poynton. S.M.. staging that the Court would afford people protection, and issuing a stern warning that any individual found in unlawful possession of a firearm in the future would incur the full penalty of a fine of £IOO. or three months’ imprisonment. The man charged in this instance was William Alfred Aubrey Morris, a young seaman on tho steamer Kauri, who hdxl been found with a revolver in his possession. Mr Poynton said the matter could not l>e overlooked. The use of revolvers was a very serious matter just now.v We were affected by a labour disturbance, one side against the other, and the use of revolvers might lead to a massacre. There had lately been reports of a massacre of miners in America, the shooting of a dpisen sheriff officers there, and the shooting of the President of Poland, whilst tho wish of the majority in Ireland was overthrown by a few people with firearms. If the carrying of revolvers was permitted here, we would have the same state of things. In conclusion, Mr Poynton said: “T cannot overlook this. The defendant is fined £lO, and the revolver is declared confiscated. 1 am issuing a warning now that if there is any more of this revolver business during this labour trouble, the full limit iof punishment will be imposed—a fine of £IOO. or three months’ imprisonment. Therefore, others had better not follow the defendant’s example,