No. X.
A n Act to suppress Robbery and H o u s e b r e a k i n g
and t h e harbouring of Robbers and House­
breakers. [21st April, 1830.]
W
H E R E A S t h e c r i m e s of R o b b e r y a n d H o u s e b r e a k i n g have
increased t o a n a l a r m i n g degree a n d i t is become necessary t o
r e s t r a i n t h e s a m e as m u c h as possible b y t e m p o r a r y provision suited
t o t h e e m e r g e n c y of t h e occasion B e it therefore e n a c t e d T h a t it shall
be lawful for a n y person w h a t s o e v e r h a v i n g reasonable cause t o
suspect a n d believe a n y o t h e r p e r s o n t o be a t r a n s p o r t e d felon
u n l a w f u l l y a t l a r g e i m m e d i a t e l y b y himself or w i t h t h e assistance of
o t h e r persons a n d w i t h o u t a w a r r a n t for s u c h p u r p o s e t o a p p r e h e n d or
cause t o be a p p r e h e n d e d every such suspected p e r s o n a n d h i m to t a k e or
cause t o b e t a k e n before a n y J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e of t h e Colony for
e x a m i n a t i o n as hereinafter provided.
2. A n d b e it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t every suspected p e r s o n w h o
shall b e t a k e n before a n y J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e as aforesaid shall b e
obliged to p r o v e t o t h e r e a s o n a b l e satisfaction of such J u s t i c e t h a t h e
is n o t a felon u n d e r sentence of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d i n default of such
proof s u c h J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e m a y cause such p e r s o n t o be detained
i n safe custody u n t i l it can b e p r o v e d w h e t h e r h e is a t r a n s p o r t e d felon
or free a n d in every s u c h case t h e proof of b e i n g free shall be u p o n
t h e person a l l e g i n g himself t o be free P r o v i d e d a l w a y s t h a t every
s u c h J u s t i c e of t h e Peace m a y in his discretion cause every such
suspected p e r s o n t o b e securely removed t o Sydney t o b e t h e r e
e x a m i n e d a n d dealt w i t h in like m a n n e r as aforesaid.
3. A n d b e it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t every p e r s o n whatsoever
w h o shall b e found o n t h e roads or i n a n y o t h e r p a r t of t h e said Colony
w i t h fire-arms or o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t s of a violent n a t u r e in his posses­
sion u n d e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s affording a r e a s o n a b l e g r o u n d for suspecting
t h a t s u c h person m a y be or i n t e n d t o be a r o b b e r every such suspected
p e r s o n s h a l l b e liable t o b e a p p r e h e n d e d a n d t a k e n before a J u s t i c e
of t h e P e a c e i n like m a n n e r a n d b e dealt w i t h i n all r e s p e c t s as
hereinbefore is provided i n reference t o persons suspected of b e i n g
t r a n s p o r t e d felons unlawfully at l a r g e a n d i n every such case t h e proof
t h a t s u c h fire-arms or o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t s of a violent n a t u r e were n o t
i n t e n d e d for a n illegal p u r p o s e shall b e u p o n t h e p e r s o n i n whose
possession t h e s a m e s h a l l be found as aforesaid.
4. A n d be it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t it shall b e lawful for a n y
p e r s o n h a v i n g r e a s o n a b l e cause for s u s p e c t i n g a n d believing t h a t a n y
o t h e r p e r s o n m a y h a v e a n y fire-arms or o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t of a deadly
n a t u r e concealed a b o u t his p e r s o n t o search or cause t o b e searched
every s u c h suspected p e r s o n a n d i n case of discovering a n y s u c h fire­
a r m s or o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t of a violent n a t u r e t o a p p r e h e n d or cause t o
b e a p p r e h e n d e d such person a n d t o t a k e h i m before a n y J u s t i c e of t h e
P e a c e to b e dealt w i t h i n all respects as hereinbefore is provided i n
reference t o p e r s o n s found w i t h fire-arms or o t h e r w e a p o n s i n t h e i r
possession.
5. A n d be it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t it shall b e lawful for a n y
J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e h a v i n g credible i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t a n y r o b b e r s
or h o u s e b r e a k e r s a r e h a r b o u r e d in t h e c o u n t y or district w h e r e i n
s u c h J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e shall b e or reside t o g r a n t a g e n e r a l
s e a r c h w a r r a n t t o a n y one or m o r e Constables t o search a n y dwellingh o u s e or t e n e m e n t or other place w i t h i n or r e p u t e d t o b e w i t h i n such
c o u n t y or district a n d it shall be lawful for a n y s u c h Constable or
Constables
Constables i n v i r t u e of s u c h g e n e r a l w a r r a n t t o b r e a k e n t e r a n d search
by day or b y n i g h t a n y dwelling-house t e n e m e n t or o t h e r place w i t h i n
or r e p u t e d t o b e w i t h i n s u c h c o u n t y or district a n d t o a p p r e h e n d or
cause t o be a p p r e h e n d e d every p e r s o n w h o m s u c h C o n s t a b l e or Constables
shall h a v e r e a s o n a b l e cause for suspecting a n d believing t o b e a r o b b e r
or h o u s e b r e a k e r a n d t o seize a n d t o secure all fire-arms a n d o t h e r a r m s
or i n s t r u m e n t s of a violent n a t u r e a n d all goods a n d c h a t t e l s w h i c h
such Constable or Constables shall h a v e reasonable g r o u n d for suspecting
a n d believing t o b e stolen a n d also t o a p p r e h e n d all persons found in
or a b o u t a n y s u c h dwelling-house or t e n e m e n t or o t h e r place a n d w h o m
such Constable or Constables shall h a v e reasonable g r o u n d s for
suspecting a n d believing t o h a r b o u r a n d conceal a n y s u c h r o b b e r s a n d
h o u s e b r e a k e r s as aforesaid a n d all persons a r m s goods a n d c h a t t e l s so
found seized a n d a p p r e h e n d e d as aforesaid shall b y s u c h C o n s t a b l e or
Constables b e f o r t h w i t h t a k e n before a J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e for
e x a m i n a t i o n a n d t o b e f u r t h e r dealt w i t h a c c o r d i n g t o law.
6. A n d w h e r e a s it is e x p e d i e n t t h a t r o b b e r s a n d h o u s e b r e a k e r s
s h o u l d b e t r i e d a n d p u n i s h e d as speedily as m a y b e c o n s i s t e n t w i t h
t h e e n d s of j u s t i c e B e it therefore f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t all persons w h o
shall b e fully c o m m i t t e d for t h e c r i m e of r o b b e r y or of e n t e r i n g a n d
p l u n d e r i n g a n y dwelling-house w i t h a r m s a n d violence shall be b r o u g h t
to t r i a l as soon as possible a n d b e i n g lawfully convicted of a n y s u c h
c r i m e a n d sentenced t o suffer d e a t h shall be e x e c u t e d according t o l a w
o n t h e day n e x t b u t t w o after sentence passed u n l e s s t h e s a m e shall
h a p p e n t o b e S u n d a y a n d i n t h a t case o n t h e M o n d a y following
a n d s u c h sentence shall b e passed i m m e d i a t e l y after t h e conviction of
s u c h offender u n l e s s t h e C o u r t or J u d g e shall see r e a s o n a b l e c a u s e
for p o s t p o n i n g t h e s a m e .
7. A n d be if f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t every p e r s o n w h o shall b e
found w i t h a n y fire-arms or o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t of a violent n a t u r e in
h i s possession a n d shall n o t p r o v e t o t h e satisfaction of s u c h J u s t i c e
of t h e P e a c e as aforesaid t h a t t h e s a m e w a s or w e r e n o t i n t e n d e d t o
b e illegally u s e d as hereinbefore is p r o v i d e d shall be deemed t o be g u i l t y
of a h i g h m i s d e m e a n o r a n d b e i n g thereof lawfully convicted shall be
liable a t t h e discretion of t h e C o u r t t o be i m p r i s o n e d for a n y t i m e
not exceeding three years.
8. A n d for t h e m o r e effectual enforcing t h i s L a w or O r d i n a n c e
b e it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t all H i s M a j e s t y ' s subjects shall b e liable t o
b e called u p o n t o aid a n d assist a n y C o n s t a b l e or o t h e r p e r s o n i n
e x e c u t i n g a n d enforcing t h e several provisions thereof a n d every
p e r s o n w h o s h a l l be so called u p o n t o aid a n d assist a n d shall refuse
or n e g l e c t so t o do shall b e liable t o a fine n o t exceeding Five P o u n d s
t o b e recovered a n d levied i n a s u m m a r y m a n n e r before a n y J u s t i c e
of t h e Peace over a n d above a n y o t h e r p u n i s h m e n t t o w h i c h s u c h
p e r s o n shall b e liable b y law.
9. A n d be i t f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t if a n y a c t i o n or suit s h a l l be
b r o u g h t a g a i n s t a n y J u s t i c e of t h e P e a c e C o n s t a b l e or o t h e r p e r s o n
or p e r s o n s for a n y act or t h i n g since t h e t e n t h day of t h i s i n s t a n t
m o n t h of A p r i l or a t a n y t i m e d u r i n g t h e c o n t i n u a n c e of t h i s A c t
done i n f u r t h e r a n c e of t h e objects or in p u r s u a n c e of t h e provisions
of t h i s L a w or O r d i n a n c e t h e defendant or defendants i n every such
a c t i o n or suit m a y plead t h e g e n e r a l issue a n d m a y give t h i s A c t a n d
t h e special m a t t e r in evidence a t a n y t r i a l t o be h a d t h e r e u p o n a n d if
t h e verdict s h a l l be for t h e defendant or defendants i n a n y s u c h action or
suit or if t h e plaintiff or plaintiffs b e n o n s u i t e d or d i s c o n t i n u e his h e r or
t h e i r action or suit after t h e defendant or d e f e n d a n t s shall h a v e
a p p e a r e d or if u p o n d e m u r r e r j u d g m e n t shall b e given a g a i n s t plaintiff
or plaintiffs t h e defendant or defendants shall h a v e t r e b l e costs a n d
shall
shall h a v e like r e m e d y for t h e same as a n y o t h e r defendant or defend­
a n t s h a t h or have i n a n y o t h e r case t o recover costs by law.
10. A n d be it f u r t h e r e n a c t e d T h a t t h i s L a w or O r d i n a n c e shall
c o n t i n u e in force for t w o years from t h e p a s s i n g a n d p u b l i c a t i o n
thereof.