SCHOOL GUN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 245, 15 October 1940, Page 5

SCHOOL GUN.

BELMONT'S TRIALS.

PROTESTS CAUSE REMOVAL

Protest 'has had its way and Belmont School's "Big Bertha" has passed to •where good and bad guns alike inevitably go—a public park. For years the much-maligned gun provided the Belmont schoolchildren with fun and excitement. Raised or lowered at the whim of the kiddies, the weapon could be used for shooting imaginary school teachers, putting Hitler in his place and wiping out the Italian forces. But the gun, main feature of the plot in front of the school, has been reverently dissected • and removed. But not lost, however. It is to be given a new lease of life in a new environment, for it is the intention to re-erect it in Taharoto Park, Takapuna. Of that, more anon. As a school ornament the gun was unpopular with people who seek peace. That cannot be denied. There were protests—many, many protests —and their main theme was the allegation that the weapon subconsciously created an evil war spirit in the minds of the rising generation. The argument that it gave the children—many now grown to adulthood —a great deal of innocent amusement, waa apparently not advanced. Humorous Side. ■ The pleas for the removal of the gun are said to have a humorous side. The gun is the property of the Takapuna Borough Council and was foisted on to the Belmont School by that body despite the violent protests of at least one male and one female teacher. Some years later a deputation appeared before the Takapuna Borough Council and demanded the removal of the weapon on the grounds that it created in the children a militant and belligerent spirit in ill-keeping with the "peace at any price" policy. The gun remained where it was until last week, when, as the rfesult of protests by the Belmont School Committee,

a gang of borough council . workmen performed the operation of dissection and removal. The resolution framed by the committee and presented to the council was in keeping with the comic opera local history of the weapon. The argument put forward is said to be based on the contention that should a force of enemy air raiders fly over the school, which is near a fortified area, the enemy would spot the gun, surmise it was a part of New Zealand's war defences—in spite of the fact that it; pointed towards Auckland—and bomb the school. That may be so. It is not known whether it was mentioned that an aeroplane would have to fly very low indeed to spot the gun. ». Invaders' Use. Although the fear of bombing seems to have been the school committee's nightmare, a member of the borough council said the committee's attitude was based on yet another contention— that an invading land force would charge the gun and fire on Auckland. That, also, may be so, but the fact is that the weapon has no breechlock and would not stand a charge stronger than a Fifth of November rocket. The history of the gun itself is somewhat obscured by all the controversy. One side claims that, built in England in 187,8, it was used by Turkey against ■the Nfew Zealanders at Gallipoli. Another version h? that it was mounted in the old New Zealand training ship Amokura. The decision to place the gun in TaharotO Park has already started a deluge of protests. A "round robin" against its re-erection will soott- be on its way, it is stated, so that to the history of 20 years there may be added scope for further chapters to "delight the historian.