IMPRESSMENT OF RIFLES

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1941, Page 2

IMPRESSMENT OF RIFLES

REGULATIONS TO BE GAZETTED

[per press association.]

WELLINGTON, April 26

The Government has decided to take steps to obtain possession of all privately owned .303 rifles or parts of these rifles, and an impressment order under the Emergency Reserve Corps Regulations will be gazetted immediately, according to an announcement made by the Prime Minister to-day. The Prime Minister said there were now at least 100,000 men in the Home Guard, and the arming of this large force was a difficult task, and in the existing circumstances presented a major problem. It was therefore imperative that every rifle in the country should be made available to ensure that, as far as humanly possible, the Home Guard was adequately trained and equipped to meet any situation that might arise. Mr. Fraser added that the impressment order covered all privately owned .303 rifles of all makes, and unserviceable rifles of this calibre should also be handed in, as it was possible that they might be repaired. Provision, will be made for granting persons who could satisfy the Minister that their rifles were urgently required, permission to retain their rifles until further notice. Applications for retention, of rifles would receive careful consideration. All rifles impressed would be held on loan and would be returned in good order, or be replaced, said Mr. Fraser, who urged that all who had rifles should take them to the nearest police station without delay.