The Short Title of this Act is “The Criminal Code Act Amendment Act, 1896”; and it shall form part of and be read together with “The Criminal Code Act, 1893” (hereinafter called “the principal Act”).

“The Criminal Code Act Amendment Act, 1894,” is hereby repealed.

Sections one hundred and eighty-eight and one hundred and ninety-six of the principal Act are hereby amended by substituting the word “sixteen” in lieu of the word “fourteen” wherever this word occurs in the aforesaid sections and in the provisoes thereof respectively as originally passed.

Sections one hundred and ninety-four and one hundred and ninety-five of the principal Act are hereby amended by adding the following words to each of the said sections: “It shall be no defence to an indictment for an offence under this section that the girl consented to such offence.”

The principal Act is hereby further amended as follows:—

As to section one hundred and eighty-eight thereof: By inserting the following words after the word “indecency” in the said section: “unless such female is older than or of the same age as the person charged.”

As to section one hundred and ninety-six thereof: By adding the following words to the second paragraph of the said section: “unless such girl is older than or of the same age as the person charged.”

The principal Act is hereby further amended as follows:—

As to section three hundred and twelve thereof: By inserting after the word “wilfully” the following words: “places or throws any obstruction upon any railway, or.”

As to subsection (a) of section three hundred and thirteen thereof: By omitting the words “railway, or.”

Section eighteen of the principal Act is hereby amended by substituting the words “with or without hard labour for any term not exceeding three years” in lieu of the words “with hard labour for three years or upwards, or imprisonment with or without hard labour.”