No. II.
An Act to facilitate the taking or apprehending
of Persons charged with certain Felonies and
the punishment of those by whom they are
harboured. [8th April, 1865.]
W
H E R E A S of late divers persons c h a r g e d o n o a t h w i t h m u r d e r
robbery with arms accompanied by wounding and other capital
felonies availing t h e m s e l v e s u n d u l y of t h e p r o t e c t i o n afforded b y l a w
t o accused persons before conviction a n d b e i n g h a r b o u r e d b y evilm i n d e d persons h a v e n o t only r e m a i n e d for a l o n g t i m e a t l a r g e
n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g all available a t t e m p t s to a p p r e h e n d t h e m b u t some
of t h e m b e i n g m o u n t e d a r m e d a n d associated t o g e t h e r h a v e c o m m i t t e d
f u r t h e r robberies a n d m u r d e r s a n d h a v e resisted a n d killed officers of
j u s t i c e a n d o t h e r persons w h e r e b y t h e lives a n d p r o p e r t y of H e r
M a j e s t y ' s subjects a r e i n j e o p a r d y a n d n e e d b e t t e r p r o t e c t i o n b y l a w
B e i t therefore e n a c t e d b y t h e Q u e e n ' s M o s t E x c e l l e n t M a j e s t y b y a n d
w i t h t h e advice a n d c o n s e n t of t h e Legislative C o u n c i l a n d Legislative
A s s e m b l y of N e w S o u t h W a l e s i n P a r l i a m e n t assembled a n d b y t h e
a u t h o r i t y of t h e s a m e as follows :—
1. W h e n e v e r a n i n f o r m a t i o n shall be filed i n t h e S u p r e m e
C o u r t b y H e r M a j e s t y ' s A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l after o a t h m a d e before a
J u s t i c e of t h e Peace a n d a w a r r a n t t h e r e u p o n d u l y issued c h a r g i n g
a n y p e r s o n t h e r e i n n a m e d or described w i t h t h e commission of a felony
p u n i s h a b l e b y l a w w i t h d e a t h a n y J u d g e of t h e said Court u p o n b e i n g
satisfied b y affidavit of t h e s e facts a n d t h a t t h e p e r s o n c h a r g e d is a t
l a r g e a n d will p r o b a b l y resist all a t t e m p t s b y t h e o r d i n a r y legal m e a n s
t o a p p r e h e n d h i m m a y f o r t h w i t h issue a B e n c h W a r r a n t u n d e r t h e
h a n d a n d seal of s u c h J u d g e for t h e a p p r e h e n s i o n of t h e p e r s o n so
charged
c h a r g e d in order to his a n s w e r i n g a n d t a k i n g h i s t r i a l u p o n t h e said
i n f o r m a t i o n a n d such J u d g e m a y t h e r e u p o n e i t h e r i m m e d i a t e l y or a t
a n y t i m e afterwards before t h e a p p r e h e n s i o n or s u r r e n d e r or after
a n y escape from c u s t o d y of t h e p e r s o n so c h a r g e d order a s u m m o n s t o
b e inserted i n t h e Gazette r e q u i r i n g such person t o s u r r e n d e r himself
on or before a day a n d a t a place specified to abide h i s t r i a l for t h e
c r i m e of w h i c h h e so s t a n d s accused P r o v i d e d t h a t t h e J u d g e shall
f u r t h e r direct t h e p u b l i c a t i o n of s u c h s u m m o n s a t such places a n d i n
such n e w s p a p e r s a n d generally in s u c h m a n n e r a n d form as shall
a p p e a r to h i m t o be best calculated to b r i n g s u c h s u m m o n s t o t h e
k n o w l e d g e of t h e accused.
2. I f t h e person so c h a r g e d shall n o t s u r r e n d e r himself for t r i a l
p u r s u a n t to s u c h s u m m o n s or shall n o t be a p p r e h e n d e d or b e i n g a p p r e ­
h e n d e d or h a v i n g s u r r e n d e r e d shall escape so t h a t h e shall n o t be i n
custody on t h e day specified i n s u c h s u m m o n s h e shall u p o n proof
thereof by affidavit t o t h e satisfaction of a n y J u d g e of t h e S u p r e m o
C o u r t a n d of t h e d u e p u b l i c a t i o n of t h e s u m m o n s be deemed o u t l a w e d
a n d shall a n d m a y t h e r e u p o n b e adjudged a n d declared t o b e a n o u t l a w
a c c o r d i n g l y b y such J u d g e b y a declaration t o t h a t effect u n d e r his
h a n d filed i n t h e said C o u r t of Record A n d if after p r o c l a m a t i o n b y
t h e G o v e r n o r w i t h t h e advice of t h e Executive Council of t h e fact of
such adjudication shall h a v e been p u b l i s h e d i n t h e Gazette a n d i n one
or m o r e S y d n e y a n d one or m o r e c o u n t r y n e w s p a p e r s s u c h outlaw
shall afterwards be found a t large a r m e d or t h e r e b e i n g reasonable
g r o u n d t o believe t h a t h e is a r m e d it shall bo lawful for a n y of H e r
M a j e s t y ' s subjects w h e t h e r a constable or n o t a n d w i t h o u t being
a c c o u n t a b l e for u s i n g of a n y deadly w e a p o n i n aid of such a p p r e ­
h e n s i o n w h e t h e r its use be preceded b y a d e m a n d of s u r r e n d e r or n o t
t o a p p r e h e n d or t a k e s u c h o u t l a w alive or dead.
3. T h e p r o c l a m a t i o n as p u b l i s h e d i n t h e Gazette
shall be
evidence of t h e p e r s o n n a m e d or described t h e r e i n b e i n g a n d h a v i n g
been d u l y adjudged a n o u t l a w for t h e p u r p o s e s of t h i s A c t a n d t h e
J u d g e ' s s u m m o n s as so p u b l i s h e d shall i n like m a n n e r be evidence of
t h e t r u t h of t h e several m a t t e r s stated t h e r e i n .
4. I f after such p r o c l a m a t i o n a n y p e r s o n shall v o l u n t a r i l y a n d
k n o w i n g l y h a r b o u r conceal or receive or give a n y aid shelter or suste­
n a n c e t o s u c h o u t l a w or provide h i m w i t h fire-arms or a n y o t h e r w e a p o n
or w i t h a m m u n i t i o n or a n y horse e q u i p m e n t or o t h e r assistance or
directly or i n d i r e c t l y give or cause t o b e given t o h i m or a n y of his
accomplices i n f o r m a t i o n t e n d i n g or w i t h i n t e n t to facilitate t h e com­
mission b y h i m of f u r t h e r c r i m e or t o e n a b l e h i m to escape from j u s t i c e
or shall w i t h h o l d i n f o r m a t i o n or give false information c o n c e r n i n g such
o u t l a w from or t o a n y officer of police or constable in q u e s t of s u c h
o u t l a w — t h e person so offending shall be g u i l t y of felony a n d b e i n g
thereof convicted shall forfeit all his l a n d s as well as goods a n d shall b e
liable to i m p r i s o n m e n t w i t h or w i t h o u t h a r d l a b o u r for s u c h period n o t
e x c e e d i n g fifteen years as t h e C o u r t shall d e t e r m i n e a n d n o allegation
or proof b y t h e p a r t y so offending t h a t h e was a t t h e t i m e u n d e r
c o m p u l s i o n shall be deemed a defence u n l e s s h e shall as soon as
possible afterwards h a v e gone before a J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e or some
officer of t h e Police F o r c e a n d t h e n t o t h e best of his ability given
full i n f o r m a t i o n r e s p e c t i n g such o u t l a w a n d m a d e a declaration on
o a t h v o l u n t a r i l y a n d fully of t h e facts connected w i t h such c o m p u l s i o n .
5. I n a n y i n d i c t m e n t u n d e r t h e l a s t p r e c e d i n g section it shall
b e sufficient t o describe t h e offence i n t h e words of t h e said section
a n d to allege t h a t t h e p e r s o n i n respect of w h o m or whose
accomplice such offence was c o m m i t t e d was a n outlaw w i t h i n
t h e m e a n i n g of t h i s A c t w i t h o u t alleging b y w h a t m e a n s or in w h a t
p a r t i c u l a r m a n n e r t h e p e r s o n on trial h a r b o u r e d or aided or gave a r m s
sustenance
s u s t e n a n c e or information t o t h e o u t l a w or w h a t i n p a r t i c u l a r w a s t h e
aid s u s t e n a n c e shelter e q u i p m e n t i n f o r m a t i o n or o t h e r m a t t e r i n
question.
6. A n y J u s t i c e or officer of t h e Police F o r c e h a v i n g r e a s o n a b l e
cause t o suspect t h a t a n o u t l a w or accused p e r s o n s u m m o n e d u n d e r
t h e provisions of t h i s A c t is concealed or h a r b o u r e d i n or on a n y
dwelling-house or premises m a y alone or a c c o m p a n i e d b y a n y p e r s o n s
a c t i n g i n h i s aid a n d e i t h e r b y day or b y n i g h t d e m a n d admission i n t o
a n d if refused admission m a y break a n d e n t e r such dwelling-house or
p r e m i s e s a n d t h e r e i n a p p r e h e n d every person w h o m h e shall h a v e
r e a s o n a b l e g r o u n d for believing t o b e such o u t l a w or accused person
a n d m a y thereupon seize a l l a r m s found i n or o n s u c h h o u s e or premises
a n d also a p p r e h e n d all persons found i n or a b o u t the s a m e w h o m such
J u s t i c e or officer shall have reasonable g r o u n d for believing t o have
concealed h a r b o u r e d or otherwise succoured or assisted such o u t l a w or
accused p e r s o n A n d all persons a n d a r m s so a p p r e h e n d e d a n d seized
shall b e f o r t h w i t h t a k e n before some c o n v e n i e n t J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e
t o b e f u r t h e r dealt w i t h a n d disposed of according t o law.
7. I t shall b e lawful after a n y s u c h p r o c l a m a t i o n a s aforesaid
for a n y police officer or constable i n t h e p u r s u i t of a n y s u c h o u t l a w i n
t h e n a m e of H e r Majesty t o d e m a n d a n d t a k e a n d u s e a n y horses n o t
b e i n g i n a c t u a l e m p l o y m e n t o n t h e r o a d a r m s saddles forage suste­
n a n c e e q u i p m e n t s o r a m m u n i t i o n r e q u i r e d for t h e p u r p o s e s of such
p u r s u i t A n d if t h e o w n e r of such p r o p e r t y shall n o t agree as t o t h e
a m o u n t of c o m p e n s a t i o n t o b e m a d e for t h e u s e of such p r o p e r t y
t h e n t h e a m o u n t of s u c h c o m p e n s a t i o n shall b e d e t e r m i n e d i n t h e
D i s t r i c t C o u r t or S u p r e m e C o u r t a c c o r d i n g t o t h e a m o u n t claimed in a n
action t o b e b r o u g h t b y t h e c l a i m a n t a g a i n s t t h e Colonial T r e a s u r e r or
u p o n a n issue a g r e e d t o b y t h e c l a i m a n t a n d t h e Colonial T r e a s u r e r
P r o v i d e d t h a t i n all cases i n w h i c h a n y s u c h action shall b e b r o u g h t
it shall b e lawful for t h e Colonial T r e a s u r e r t o p l e a d i n b a r a n y t e n d e r
previously m a d e b y h i m or to p a y i n t o C o u r t such m o n e y as h e shall
t h i n k fit a n d plead such p a y m e n t i n b a r of t h e f u r t h e r m a i n t e n a n c e
of such action.
8. T h i s A c t shall c o n t i n u e i n force for t h e period of o n e y e a r
only from t h e d a t e of its p a s s i n g a n d afterwards unless P a r l i a m e n t b e
s i t t i n g w h e n t h a t t e r m e x p i r e s for t w o c a l e n d a r m o n t h s after t h e
c o m m e n c e m e n t of i t s t h e n n e x t Session.
9. N o conveyance or t r a n s f e r of l a n d or goods b y a n y s u c h
o u t l a w or accused p e r s o n after t h e issue of a w a r r a n t for h i s
a p p r e h e n s i o n a n d before h i s conviction if h e shall b e convicted shall
b e of a n y effect w h a t e v e r .
10. T h i s A c t shall b e cited a s t h e " Felons A p p r e h e n s i o n A c t "
a n d shall a p p l y t o all crimes c o m m i t t e d a n d evidence t a k e n a n d
w a r r a n t s issued a n d i n f o r m a t i o n s filed r e l a t i n g t h e r e t o a s well before
as after t h e p a s s i n g of t h i s A c t .
No. I I I .