A COLLECTOR OF FIREARMS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21411, 1 March 1935, Page 12

A COLLECTOR OF FIREARMS

♦ WEAPONS SEIZED BY GOVERNMENT PLEA MADE IN HOUSE FOR THEIR RETURN [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, February 28. Until recently a Taranaki farmer, N. 1 Fryday, of Ngaere, kept a large and growing collection of firearms and ammunition. The collection was seized by the Government, and Fryday petitioned Parliament for an investigation into the circumstances of his case. His petition was unfavourably reported on by the Public Petitions Committee in the House of Representatives to-day; but Mr W. J. Poison (C, Stratford) entered another plea on his behalf. Mr Poison said that Fryday was a very well-known and respected settler, rather eccentric perhaps but entirely harmless. He had grown into a habit of collecting firearms of all kinds and descriptions. Mr R. A. Wright (Ind., Wellington Suburbs) asked how many pieces he had collected.

Mr Poison: Possibly 20 or 30. Mr A. J. Stallworthy (Ind., Eden): Is he a member of the Farmers' Union? Mr Poison: Probably he is. He added that Fryday was very well known in his district, and that his collection was often exhibited. A few months ago, however the Government had swooped down and taken all his guns away. Mr W. E. Parry (Lab.. Auckland Central): Perhaps he was preparing for the Mortgage Corporation Bill. Mr Poison said there was a feeling that Fryday might have done something which would be regretted; but that was the last thing he would have dreamt of. He was justified in asking for a restoration of his collection. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates: Were the firearms registered? Mr Poison: Yes. They were all registered. Mr Wright, a member of the committee, said there was absolutely no merit in the petition, and that the petitioner was found to have several thousand rounds of ammunition, besides his shotguns, rifles, and revolvers. He had actually fired two bullets into a stump when there was a man crouching behind it. It was high time his arms were taken from him. He was a dangerous man. The Minister for Defence (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe) explained that he would not have been able to justify the return of the firearms.