Section 27 — Adoption Act 1955: Offences

27 Offences (1) Every person commits an offence against this section who— (a) Places or receives or keeps any child in the home of any person for the purpose of adoption in contravention of section 6 of this Act: (b) Takes out of New Zealand without leave of the Court any child in respect of whom an interim order is in force: (c) Being a person in whose favour an interim order has been made, fails to give any notice of change of residence required by paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section 15 of this Act: (d) Gives or receives or agrees to give or receive any payment in contravention of section 25 of this Act: (e) Publishes any advertisement in contravention of section 26 of this Act: (f) Makes any false statement for the purpose of obtaining or opposing an interim order or adoption order or any variation or discharge of any such order. (2) Every person who commits an offence against this section shall be liable on summary conviction before a District Court Judge to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $15,000 or to both. (3) Where the Court is satisfied that an offence against this section has been committed in respect of any child, whether or not any person has been convicted of the offence, the Court may order the child to be removed to a place of safety until he can be restored to his parents or guardian or until other arrangements can be made for him. Subsection (2) was amended by section 7 Decimal Currency Act 1964 (1964 No 27) by substituting the expression “ $100 ” for the words “ fifty pounds ” . Subsection (2) was amended, as from 1 January 1999, by section 28 Adoption (Intercountry) Act 1997 (1997 No 109) by substituting the expression “ $15,000 ” for the expression “ $100 ” . See clause 2 Adoption (Intercountry) Act Commencement Order 1998 (SR 1998/427). The words “ District Court Judge ” were substituted for the word “ Magistrate ” pursuant to section 18 District Courts Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 125).