THE FIREARM QUEUE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18157, 31 January 1921, Page 6

THE FIREARM QUEUE

A RUSH FOR REGISTRATION

(From Odb Own Correspondent.) , WELLINGTON, January 29. All sorts and conditions of men and women, and even children, were formed in ’ a queue at the local police station this morning to register or deliver to the authorities under the provisions of the 1 .Arms Act passed las l session the firearms in their possession. The great majority of these people were young men, but occasionally a grey-headed man, a young woman, or a girl with her hair in a plait ■ came. in and lined up with the others. There was a woman with a baby in arms, and a boy of tender years. Many brought along their weapons, and. these were just about as varied as the people who owned them. One elderly man ■brought a bell-mouthed weapon that might have dated back to the sixteenth century. 3t could have been of no use to him, for he did not know how to ■ loud it, and us it had no number the police suggested that they should keep it for a bit. It was evidently a treasured relic, and the owner ■; did not wish to part with it. If the police thought it was dangerous in any way ho was quite willing, he said, to saw the bar- ■' re l half through, so that it could not be ’ used as a weapon of offence. Those who brought automatic pistols, either to hand over for compensation or to retain as souvenirs, were asked to call again next week, as the police had not the necessary forms for them to -fill. In the case of those who wish for compensation for their automatic pistols, they have to get them valued, and a local gun firm is making the valuation at a fee of 5s per weapon. Some of the most up-to-date German automatic pistols secured during the last year of the war are valued at as much as £7 10b-