Tighter control of replica guns urged

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33985, 28 October 1975, Page 18

Tighter control of replica guns urged

Tighter control of replica firearms was needed in New Zealand, the head of the Christchurch Police District (Mr G. E. Twenty man) said yesterday.

He said he was concerned that a number of people w ere using copies of weapons to commit crimes. It would be an advantage it there was some law gov-’ eming the availability of I such things, he said. “Machine-gun replicas have even been brought into this: country,” he said. "Some people do make or collect replica firearms as a genuine hobby, but it is un-j fortunate that other people:

are using them to commit’ crimes.” Mr Twentyman said that if j i any regulations were intro-■ duced it would be difficult to J maintain a balance between' •.he rights of the people who] made replicas for a hobby and those who used them to \ commit crimes. Such legislation would i have to be carefully examlined. he said. The Minister of Police (Mr Connelly! told the New Zealand Antique Arms Associa- • tion that the feasibility of

’licensing persons as firearm users, rather than the registration of firearms would be ■examined. He said it was now more (difficult to obtain a permit [than it had been in the past. But the major consideration in the rights of the community was to have dangerous or unfit persons denied the possession of guns. Legislation “in the pipeline” covered aspects of security, and regulations were to be promulgated to ensure adequate safety for storage among dealers, and of pistols held by private persons.

Mr Connelly said the use of imitation firearms, and of dangerous weapons in public places, would come under close scrutiny. Imitation firearms had received unfavourable comment, and several had been recently used in the (commission of crimes. Mr Connelly said the Government, and the police, had I trust in the members of the , association, and in other (genuine collectors. Nevertheless. there was concern about jthe prospect of weapons falling into the hands of irresponsible persons or criminals.

He said that last year some 17.000 potentially dangerous items were removed from (circulation, during a threemonth police arms amnesty. “With more than 11,000 [private homes burgled last [year, the prospect of private collections being ‘rifled’ is very real.” Mr Connelly said.