It shall not be lawful for any person to remove or cause to be removed from any one part of the Colony of New Zealand to any other part of the said Colony, either by inland carriage or coastways, any arms or other warlike stores or any gunpowder exceeding the weight of two pounds without a license for removing and carrying the same granted by some Justice of the Peace: Provided always that nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to prevent any person from carrying arms for the defence of his person or for sporting as by law he might before the passing of this Ordinance.

Every person who shall remove or cause to be removed any such arms gunpowder or other warlike stores contrary to the provisions of this Ordinance, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding fifty pounds nor less than five pounds, to be recovered in a summary way.

It shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace, upon information on oath, to search for and seize, or to grant a warrant to any person to search for and seize, and for any officer of the Navy on full pay, harbour master, officer of Customs, police officer or constable, or for any other person acting in his or their aid and assistance, without such information on oath, to search for and seize all such arms gunpowder and other warlike stores which shall be in progress of removal or shall be removed without such license, or without producing such license on demand of any such person as aforesaid. And all such arms gunpowder and other warlike stores so to be seized as aforesaid shall be forfeited to Her Majesty.

No person shall make construct amend or repair any arms gunpowder or other warlike stores without a license to be for that purpose granted under the authority of His Excellency the Governor.

Every person who shall make construct amend or repair any arms gunpowder or other warlike stores without having obtained such license, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding fifty pounds nor less than five pounds.

Provided always that nothing herein contained shall extend to prevent the removal or the making or repairing of arms gunpowder and other warlike stores by or on account of the New Zealand police force, or by or on account of Her Majesty’s land or sea forces.

For the purposes of this Ordinance the word “Governor” shall be taken to include the Lieutenant-Governor or the Officer Administering the Government of the Colony for the time being.

This Ordinance shall come into operation on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.