Risks of guns register

So Chris Cahill, our new Police Association president, (October 15), wants to go back to registering all firearms, thereby creating a national firearms register.

Poland had a national firearms register in 1939 and when the Nazis invaded, they confiscated all privately owned firearms, by make and serial number, on threat of death, thereby leaving a defenceless and helpless population. Yes, this is a long time ago, and yes, those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.

With a national firearms register, the governing body, whatever shade or type it might be, knows where every firearm is at any one time: a situation which is unsettling at best and dangerous at worst. Such a system does nothing to reduce gun crime because only law-abiding people abide by it and those with criminal inclinations simply thumb their noses at it.

It must be considered also that as any legislation is made more restrictive or draconian ever fewer people will abide by it.

Historically New Zealand has mucked around with its firearms laws quite enough already and a national firearms register would serve no useful purpose.

ROBERT NEWLANDS

Ngaio