New Zealand Acts

ARMS ACT 1983 - SECT 51

51 Unlawful carriage or possession in public place of firearm, airgun, pistol, ammunition, explosive, or restricted weapon

1 Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years, or a fine not exceeding $4,000, or both, who, without lawful purpose,—

a) carries a firearm (other than a prohibited firearm), an airgun, a pistol, a restricted weapon, ammunition, or an explosive in a public place; or

b) possesses a firearm (other than a prohibited firearm), an airgun, a pistol, a restricted weapon, ammunition, or an explosive in a public place.

2 In any prosecution for an offence against subsection (1), in which it is proved that the defendant was carrying in any public place or had in his possession in any public place any firearm, airgun, pistol, ammunition, explosive, or restricted weapon, the burden of proving the existence of some lawful purpose shall lie on the defendant.

Note: 1958 No 21 s 16B; 1974 No 68 s 7

History: Section 51(1): replaced, on 12 April 2019, by section 53 of the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 12).