IMPRESSMENT OF RIFLES

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23314, 28 April 1941, Page 10

IMPRESSMENT OF RIFLES

REGULATIONS BEING || GAZETTED II (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 5t- i | The Government has decided to tftj j I steps to obtain possession of airpM I vately owned .303 rifles or l I these rifles, and an impressment,order s I under the Emergency Reserve Coij* J I Regulations will be gazetted iinmedi.l afely, according to an announcement ■' I made by the Prime Minister (the Rt. ' I Hon. P. Fraser) to-day. * ' I Mr Fraser said there were now at I least 100,000 men in the Home Guard, ; I and the arming of this large force was '• I a difficult task, and in the existing ; circumstances presented a major prob. ' lem. It was therefore imperative that -i every rifle in the country should be ■ made available to ensure that, as far I as humanly possible, the Home Guard i was adequately trained and equipped') to meet any situation, that might arise, Mr Fraser added that the impress- ; ment order covered all privately owned ,303 rifles of all makes, and unservice*, able rifles of this calibre should also j be handed in, as it was quite possible ? that they might be repaired. Provision will be made for granting ' persons who could satisfy the Minister - that their rifles were urgently .required, i permission to retain their rifles until ? further notice. Applications for reten* tion of rifles would receive careful con- : sideration - a All rifles impressed would be held on 1 loan and would be returned in good 1 order, or be replaced, said Mr Fraser, % who urged that all who had rifles in :1 their possession should take them to 1 the nearest police station without de* 1 lay, _ I