FIRING POSTPONED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22948, 28 January 1938, Page 8

FIRING POSTPONED

GUNS AT NORTH HEAD CONCESSION TO YACHTSMEN PRACTICE AT LATER DATE The protests of Auckland yachtsmen that the proposed live-shell gunnery practice from the fort at North Head to-morrow morning would be a potential danger to craft making their way to participate in the Anniversary Day regatta have resulted in a postponement of the shooting until a future) date. The decision to abandon the practice in the meantime was announced yesterday afternoon, after further representations had been made to the military authorities.

"We know that Anniversary Day is the 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 N. W. M. Weir, general staff officer of the Northern Military District, when advising of 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 12-pound shells and not the Gin. 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." Gunnery practices fixed for next Thursday and Friday in Rangitoto Channel, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.. will be carried out.