Police investigate gun club fire
Police are investigating a fire that destroyed the temporary home of Kaitaia Gun Club, just over a year after its original home was also burnt down.
Fire and Emergency staff were called to a fire at the Kaitaia Gun Club, on Okahu Downs Drive, around 4.15am on Tuesday.
No one was at the property at the time of the fire and there are no injuries from the blaze, but it was being treated as suspicious.
Kaitaia Fire Brigade was called back to the scene at about 9.30am on Tuesday to dampen down hotspots and help move iron for police investigators.
Tuesday’s fire followed a suspicious blaze that destroyed clubrooms on February 13 last year.
Kaitaia Gun Club representative Mark Shaw declined to comment on the latest fire.
“I don't know what to think,” he said. “The police are dealing with it now.”
Meanwhile, gun clubs around Northland were considering their membership processes in light of the Christchurch shootings.
Fifty people died in the Christchurch mosque shooting on Friday, the worst terror attack in New Zealand history.
The accused gunman was a member of Bruce Rifle Club, south of Dunedin, but members said he never gave anyone cause for concern.
John Hendriks, of the Whanga¯rei Combined Gun Club, said the club had a robust system but the latest incident had the sport-shooting sector considering the future.
“Through the actions of some idiot, our legitimate sport is being threatened.”
Hendriks said there were strict processes that potential club members had to go through before they got on the range.
Dargaville Pistol Club president Michael Andrews said the process to join was rigorous, adding “The processes increase in vigour the more advanced the weapons are.”