Let police seek stolen guns, urges shooter
Plumber would not do job, Sth African claims
A gun enthusiast anticipates a boost in police numbers could lead to the recovery of more stolen property, particularly firearms.
Prime Minister Bill English announced last week a $503 million Safer Communities package that would deliver an extra 1125 police, including 880 sworn officers, over four years.
It has not been decided where the police would be stationed but each region has been promised more staff.
Whangarei man Phil Cregeen, Secretary of the Sporting Shooter Association of New Zealand, said it had long been the organisation’s view the reason why police were facing more armed offenders was because officers lacked the resources to apprehend armed criminals and gangs.
“It would seem reasonable to anticipate that this strengthening of the police will lead to the recovery of more stolen property and firearms in particular,” Cregeen said.
“We further hope that this increase in support staff will lead to improved efficiency of firearms administration, which has been sadly lacking over the past year, with long delays in processing licence and the various permit applications required by law.”
The group also suggest more resources need to be provided to Customs to better secure New Zealand’s border against the illegal importation of firearms and other contraband.
“This organisation would like to see these additional police resources employed in targeting real criminals rather than making up new rules and regulations that only impact the law abiding members of society.”
Police Commissioner Mike Bush said he would talk with his executive team and district commanders about where the staff will go.
“We will let the public know when we have more information. While the actual numbers are still to be decided, all districts will be receiving new staff,” Bush said. A woman has complained to the Human Rights Commission after allegedly being told by an Auckland plumbing firm it wouldn’t fix her kitchen pipe because she was South African.
But 5Star Plumbing says it was happy to do the work — but only if she paid on the spot, as they ask all South Africans to do.
5Star owner Michael Mullany — who hails from South Africa himself — said he put the policy to not invoice South Africans in place about six years ago as they were “bad payers”.
Mullany said while 90 per cent of his customers paid immediately after work was done, he allowed customers — other than South Africans — to be billed.
But the woman, who gave her name only as Nadine, claims the Browns Bay company didn’t say anything about paying on the spot and simply told her they wouldn’t do the job.
“My hot water pipe burst when I was cooking . . . and water gushed everywhere.
“I eventually called 5Star and I was told ‘we don’t actually do business with South Africans any more’.
“I thought they were joking but then the woman said she was serious and that South Africans were very bad payers who always squabble about prices.”
I thought they were joking but then the woman said . . . South Africans were very bad payers. Nadine, plumbing customer
The woman didn’t say anything about needing to pay on the spot, according to Nadine.
“She said there would be an after-hours fee which I said I was happy to pay and then that’s when she said they wouldn’t do the work.”
“I would have happily paid when the work was done.”
Nadine’s posted about the incident on the company’s Facebook page and reported it to the Human Rights Commission.
“I was absolutely disgusted. They don’t know me and have never done business with me.
“I have been living in New Zealand for 18 years and never struck anything like this. Everyone I tell about it can’t believe it.”
In Nadine’s now-deleted post on the 5Star Plumbing Facebook page, she said she felt discriminated against and would go to the commission.
In response, the company said it was protecting its own interests. “You must be one of those South Africans that don’t pay their bills because you posted this ...
“We do not like doing work for Saffers because they always say they will pay and they don’t! They either pay very late or never.
“Go to Human Rights because it’s our right to choose who we do work for!”
Mullany, of 5Star, told the Herald by the Facebook comment.
But he claimed Nadine took issue with paying immediately and the firm would have done the work.
“We have many South African clients. All we ask is that they pay immediately because they are bad payers.
“We have never had anybody that’s had a problem with that before.” he stood