CAPTURED GERMAN GUNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3875, 19 June 1928, Page 9

CAPTURED GERMAN GUNS.

THE CHRISTCHURCH CONTROVERSY.

LABOUR “ COMPROMISE ” ADOPTED.

CHRISTCHURCH, June 11. ' The City Council discussed to-night -at length the proposal to move certain captured German guns from the city reserves. When the proposal came before the council a few weeks ago it was adopted by an overwhelming Labour majority, the Mayor alone of the party voting against the proposal. The arguments at that time were that the guns, as emblems of the hatred of war, should be removed from places of public resort. An agitation was raised against the proposal by the R.S.A. and other citizens, and to-night, when the matter earns up for final decision, a petition was presented protesting against the removal. Two of tlie guns stand in front of the Supreme Court on a piece of land which had previously been treated as city land, but which, since the controversy began, has been discovered to be Crown land.

Cr Sullivan, M.P., proposed, as a compromise, that all guns should be placed on Crown land, and so removed from the city reserves.

The effect of the resolution is that a few guns will be moved across the river, a distance of less than 100 yards, and into a place of equal prominence and equally frequented by the public.