Most ludicrous laws
The BBC reports on a competition to pick the most ludicrous laws
It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27%)
It could be regarded an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen’s image upside-down (7%)
Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned (5%)
In the UK, a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants (4%)
The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen (3.5%)
It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (3%)
It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour (3%)
Sadly in NZ we don’t have many outdated laws to the extent the UK and US do.
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Tags: Humour
November 9th, 2007 at 11:38 am
They’ve not heard about the EFB obviously! And as for dying in Parliament, they never heard about Graham Hawkins either!
November 9th, 2007 at 11:38 am
DPF
Just as well we don’t have people claiming ownership of things like Whale’s jaw bones or the like. Imagine if some race based law or convention covered this. It would be an outrage !
November 9th, 2007 at 11:51 am
And they repealed the death penalty for treason a while back in NZ.
That coupled wit the EFB could have made blogging a hanging offense.
And pamphlet dropping, mocking MP’s etc.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:52 am
A fly on the wall at Buck House.
Ring Ring Yes Crumbley, what is it?
There’s a delivery Ma’am
A delivery, Crumbly? Of what are we being delivered?
Well Ma’am, it’s very large and the delivery chap says by law it belongs to you?
But Crumbly, what is it?
Ma’am it’s posterior section of cetacious proportion and I’m afraid it’s a bit smelly and there is a quantity of greazy liquid oozing through the palace gates. Ma’am, what do you suggest we do.
Send it to that awful fellow at Harrods. He needs a new conspiracy theory.
November 9th, 2007 at 11:55 am
They’re mostly not outrageous, but we do have some outdated laws.
Late filing of the financial statements of an incorporated society carries a fine of 10c a day.
November 9th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
All laws should have a sunset clause, after a period of time, say 10 years, they either need to be renewed by parliament or lapse.
This has the added bonus of keeping the pricks too busy to pass so many new laws.
November 9th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
What about the Supression of Terrorism Act, found so perilously wanting in the last few days…
November 9th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
technically i think all UK laws that existed at the time of one of our constitutional status changes (i think it was when statue of westminster act was passed? 1930s?) are still NZ laws unless they have been specifically overriden by parliament or our courts since
so, some of those ridiculous laws cited by DPF above might still be NZ law!
November 9th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
… like this one
It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing
November 9th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Section 28 of the British Town Police Clauses Act 1847 makes it an offence (punishable by £1000 fine) to sing any profane or obscene song or ballad, or use any profane or obscene language.
November 9th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I seem to recall some Dunedin bylaws – although they could just be folklores.
- You are allowed to camp in the Octagon overnight, but only if you are on your way to the goldfields.
- It is illegal for a man to urinate on any but the left rear wheel of his carraige.
November 9th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
“This has the added bonus of keeping the pricks too busy to pass so many new laws.”
Now if only we could do something about cacofinix along these lines,
this blog would be a far more wholesome and family friendly place.
Dad 4 justice,, HA!
He’s got no family!
November 9th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
“It is illegal for a man to urinate on any but the left rear wheel of his carraige.”
where he’s out of sight I’m thinking.
common sense for the times.
November 9th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I have 32 REAL silly laws up on my blog right now
Thanks for the idea DPF.
November 9th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
ummmm…
http://big-news.blogspot.com
November 9th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
milo
I think it’s the right rear wheel. And it’s not just a Dunedin law.
I believe it’s still ilegal to beat a rug after 9:00pm till sunrise.
November 9th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
While it is illegal to smack you child, you can force your rugby team to serve each other food while wearing only a tie.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4266519a10713.html
Odd, very odd behaviours. Even if the coach didn’t order it
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4267428a10713.html
November 9th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
We have some very silly laws here.
You’re not allowed to smack your child, but you are allowed to be a terrorist.
November 9th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
NZ Law’s Validating Theft by MPs only
November 9th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
SKULKING WELSHMEN beware!
In the city of Leeds, an Englishman may shoot a Welshman; only with a longbow, within the city walls and after midnight.
CETACEAN MOLESTERS beware!
For if one molests a whale in California, the penalty is Death!
IP – may a terrorist smack their children?!?
Don’t answer that one, it’s Friday! Good weekend all.
November 9th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Is there law that stops the Prime Minister from endangering members of the public by speeding through busy townships fanatically trying to get to a pc game of rugby ? Just a thought, as the law is the ass or is Helen the donkey ?
November 9th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
While it is illegal to smack you (sic) child, you can force your rugby team to serve each other food while wearing only a tie.
Unless you’re in Invercargill, where after a pre-season match this year (and still very sober) we were forced to remove our club ties in order to gain access to several of the shithouse Licensing Trust pubs.
Apparently rugby teams wearing ties cause normally sane people to start hitting each other, or at least that was the overweight bouncer’s rationale.
November 9th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Several were not laws- they were judgements from the courts, and the no deaths in parliament rule has nothing to do with state funerals- it would interrupt proceedings.
November 9th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I should have said that deaths in Parliament are registered outside; the firemen who died in the Nazi bombing didn’t get a state funeral, and were registered as having died outside.
November 9th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
I just heard on Radio Live that any gathering of more than 3 children has to be licensed – so Sunday Schools will now have to shut down unless they are licensed! Is this true?
November 9th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
“I just heard on Radio Live that any gathering of more than 3 children has to be licensed.”
so in other words you can’t have bday parties and bbq’s with groups of children present.
You have to have them at a licensed venue such as McDonalds where they eat fast food the govt does’nt want them eating at school.
are the calories slimming at McDonalds??
November 9th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
I see this was already raised on the general debate thread, Sorry – but at least means there must be some truth to it.
I remember how a qualified day care worker at a licensed creche sat on our daughter to hold her down when she wouldn’t go off to sleep!
November 9th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Why do they make kids sleep when they don’t won’t to.
You can’t make kids sleep. They need to be out doors running around.
talk about stifling enthusiasm.
I was actually kicked out of a kindergarten accused of stealing a tiny toy truck. I don’t know if I did but they treated me like a criminal. I was four.