From: "John Hurst", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>I think it is erroneous to argue that no controls existed prior
>to 1920, because people ignore the Defence of the Realm regulations
>in force during the Great War. The prospect of those controls
>being lifted is what led to the Firearms Act 1920.
Steve,
It could be argued that the Firearms Act 1920 was merely an
ammendment to the
Unlawfull Drilling Act 1819. The principle effect of the 1920 Act was to
transfer responsibility for the authorisation of "training and drilling"
with arms to a Secretary of State instead of local justices.
The subjects right to arms and the provisions of the Bill of Rights were
raised in the debates in Parliament in 1819 and were accepted by the
sponsors of that Bill. They therefore continue in force. That is why
members of rifle clubs continue to exercise their RKBA to the present day.
IIRC Home Office club approval certificates confirm this. Has anyone got one
to hand?
Re DORA, the judgement in the case of Chester v. Bateson in 1920 showed that
provisions of the 1915 Act which contravened the Bill of Rights were
invalid. This case concered the requisitioning of a house for defence
industry workers but the principle is confirmed and is still quoted in the
textbooks (with other examples). And Commander Kendricks shrewd questioning
of the Home Secretary in the debates in 1920 confirm that the 1920 Act
recognised the RKBA too.
Regards, John Hurst.
--
Cmdr Kenworthy, no relation!
One other thing I think is worth pointing out is that back in the
days when we had a gun trade the Proof Acts were enforced with
much more gusto than they are today, one of the Guardians of
the Birmingham Proof House related to me various antique court
cases where people were really hammered for violating the proving
requirements. One thing they used to use it for was to stop
transhipments of arms through the UK.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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