§ Mr. Goldieasked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the prevalence of bicycle stealing and the inconvenience caused thereby to members of the public who, under present circumstances, are using such means of transport, he will take the necessary steps so to amend Section 28 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, as to make it an offence to take and drive away a bicycle without the owner's consent or without lawful authority?
§ Mr. PeakeI have been asked to reply. The information which is at present before me shows that the main difficulty experienced by the police in dealing with this mischief does not arise from any difficulty in supporting a charge of larceny, but is the practical one of identifying and recovering a bicycle which is reported as missing. I am informed that there are comparatively few cases in which a charge of taking and using a bicycle without the owner's consent could usefully be preferred as an alternative to a charge of larceny, but I am looking further into the question whether an amendment of the law in the sense suggested would be advantageous.