Hammer Gun Should Go Parry Says

Northern Advocate, 21 February 1940, Page 3

Hammer Gun Should Go Parry Says

[Special to "Northern Advocate”l AUCKLAND, This Day. “The hammer gun belongs to a past age, and its importation should be prohibited,’’ said the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, yesterday when asked if he had any further contributions to the controversy that has developed over the dangers o£ the hammer gun. “It is not so much a question of the guns already here, which, in my opinion, should be tested, but it is the future of which I am thinking,” he added. “I arn going to confer with the police firearms expert, and if I can arrange a demonstration in the Auckland Town Hall I will do it to let the public see the dangers surrounding the use of the hammer gun,” Mr Parry continued. “I am convinced that the number of people we are losing is too great, whatever type of gun may be responsible,” Mr Parry said. “There is no question that the loss of life arising from accidents with hammer guns is more than it should be. It is my duty and that of every public man when we see people meeting their death, through accidents, to remove the cause if possible. “Far too many lives are being lost by drowning, and if I can lessen the total I am going to do so. “We are doing the same tiding on the roads, and spending hundreds of \housands of pounds because of the importance of saving life. What then is the good of humbugging for sentimental reasons about a type of gun?”