The debate on radio this morning over firearms law  did not raise one of the explanations for the rate of non-renewal of firearms licences (despite retention of their guns by many who did not renew).

I can not tell how material it is as a factor, but I know as a matter of certainty that some of the non-renewal was because of  a fear that registration of firearms was a preliminary to a planned confiscation, along the lines of the 'buy-back' in Australia, and the UK.

It had become folklore in parts of our hunting community that confiscation was part of the same 'townie' movement that had seen fox hunting banned in Britain, and that led to frequent airing of the views of Philip Alpers on radio and TV.

Happily there is now much more trust of the Police, in no small measure attributable to the tireless liaison efforts of Joe Green and the commonsense of the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners, and its wise leadership by John Howat.

But the suspicion has not gone entirely.  A threatening Bill still lurks low on the Parliamentary order paper.

Early in my time as an MP I went on tour with the Law and Order Select Committee, to hear submissions on an Arms Amendment Bill that would have required the registration of firearms, as well as firearm owners. Some 6000 submissions were heard.

They made a deep impression and the Chair of the committee (Labour's Janet Mackey) was persuaded by the logic to advocate for much more sensible law. At the time, the official Police line was to oppose changes to what the government had proposed.

Subsequently they've been much more reflective of the common sense position advocated by the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners.