End of amnesty

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 30, 15 January 1985, Page 2

End of amnesty

This month will see the conclusion of a major success in co-operation between the police and the public, says Police Commissioner Ken Thompson. Project Foresight, aimed at licensing all persons in lawful possession of firearms, began in June last year and to date some 235,000 persons have been issued with a firearms licence. Mr Thompson says New Zealand firearms owners are as a whole a most responsible sector of the community and they are to be congratulated for their response. He says the police know there are a number of people who have not yet applied for a firearms licence and a lastminute flurry of applications is expected because after January 31 any unlicensed person with a firearm would be deemed to be committing an offence. Application forms are available at police stations and post offices. Existing owners have been entitled since June last year to apply for a licence at a special fee of $ 1 1 , but after January 31 will face the fee of $27 charged to new would-be owners. They will also be required to study the Arms Code, attend a Mountain Safety Council firearms lecture and pass a stringent written test. Running parallel with the task of issuing licenses to lawful possessors of firearms there has been a most unusual amnesty, which also will end on January 31. Many persons have firearms they no longer use. Others, including war souvenirs, have been inherited. The special eight-month amnesty has enabled anyone who has a firearm but who does not want a licence to sell the firearm or surrender it to the police. Mr Thompson says the amnesty has been successful and hundreds have been sold or handed in.