Recent claims made to the effect that the implementation of a firearm registration system will contribute to a reduction in violence with firearms is nonsense.

Comparison with motor vehicle registration reminds us of the 20,000 motor vehicles reportedly stolen annually, some of which are known to be used in violent crime, and to the 10,000 casualties (of which some 400 are fatal) resulting from road traffic accidents.

The fact that a majority of the illicit firearms recovered by police have had their serial numbers removed invalidates the argument that firearm registration will solve crimes because even if sophisticated (and expensive) technology for recovering serial numbers is available, police have told us (a) that firearms are rarely left at the scene of a crime, and (b) they rarely need evidential material from firearms for solving serious crime.

It seems our police have not learned from the failures of firearms registration systems in our past or in other jurisdictions.

Finally, heavy penalties exist for illegally selling firearms under current law, extending to imprisonment for up to two years or a fine of up to $20,000.

So, why incur New Zealand in the budgeted $200,000,000.00 cost when our society has other more urgent needs for taxpayer funds.

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