GUNNERY POSTPONED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 105, 28 January 1938, Page 13

GUNNERY POSTPONED

Yachtsmen Fear .Danger To Anniversary Day Regatta Dominion Special Service. Auckland, January 27. Arguing that the proposed live-shell gunnery practice from the fort at North Head on Saturday morning would be a potential danger to craft making their way to participate in the Anniversary Day regatta, the protests of Auckland yachtsmen have resulted in the postponement of the military fixture until a future date. The decision to abandon the shooting in the meantime was announced this afternoon after further representations had been made to the military authorities. “We know Anniversary Day is tlie big day of the year for Auckland yachtsmen and it was not our desire to interfere in any way with the aquatic programme,” said Colonel Weir, General Staff Officer of the Northern Military District, when advising the postponement of the shooting. “We are convinced that there would have been no danger to anyone. Full safety precautions would have been observed, and it was our intention to fire,l2-pound shells and not a 6-inch gun as some persons apparently supposed. “All this could not be explained to each person individually, so we have decided to put the shoot off until another time,” added Colonel Weir. “We did not want to spoil the yachtsmen’s party.”