HISTORIC MONUMENTS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1971 - SECT 12 Provisions as to archaeological objects found.

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HISTORIC MONUMENTS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1971 - SECT 12

Provisions as to archaeological objects found.

12.(1) The finder of any archaeological object (in this section referred to as
a "finder") shall, within fourteen days of such finding, report the
circumstances of the finding and the nature of the object either to
the Director of the Ulster Museum (in this section referred to as "the
Director") or to the officer in charge of a police station, and, subject to
subsection (2), shall, together with such report, forward the object found.

(2) If, however, the archaeological object mentioned in subsection (1) is of
such a nature as not to be readily portable, the finder shall so specify in
his report under subsection (1), and shall state where any person authorised
in that behalf by the Director may inspect the object.

(3) An archaeological object deposited or forwarded under subsection (1) may
be retained by the Director or, as the case may be, the officer in charge of
the police station for a period not exceeding three months after the
furnishing of the report mentioned in subsection (1), and that period is in
this section referred to as "the relevant period".

(4) Except with the consent of the Director, the finder shall not, until after
the expiration of the relevant period, deliver the archaeological object to a
person other than the Director or an officer in charge of a police station, or
otherwise part with the possession of the object.

(5) A finder who, without reasonable cause, acts in contravention of any
provision of this section, and any other person (not being an officer in
charge of a police station) who, knowingly and without the consent of
the Director, obtains possession of any archaeological object within
the relevant period, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on
summary conviction to a fine not exceeding #50.

(6) The Ministry may, on the recommendation of the Historic Monuments Council,
give financial assistance towards the purchase of any archaeological object,
the finding of which has been reported under this section, and, without
prejudice to any other conditions which the Ministry may think fit to impose,
any such object when purchased shall be deposited for public exhibition in
such place and subject to such conditions as the Ministry may direct.

(7) The Ministry may make regulations

(a)prescribing the action to be taken by the Director or the officer in charge
of a police station with regard to archaeological objects deposited or
received and reports furnished;

(b)generally for carrying this section into effect.

(8) Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting treasure trove,
but regulations under this section may be made so as to apply to any
archaeological object which is treasure trove, if the rights of the Crown in
such object have been waived.

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Northern Irish Legislation

HISTORIC MONUMENTS ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1971 - SECT 12