ARMS ACCIDENTS IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26211, 7 September 1950, Page 6

ARMS ACCIDENTS IN N.Z.

COMMENT BY POLICE COMMISSIONER

CARELESSNESS SAID TO BE CHIEF CAUSE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, September 6. Almost every fatal arms accident that has occurred in New Zealand since the beginning of 1935 could have been avoided through more careful handling of the weapon involved. The Commissioner of Police (Mr J. Bruce Young) expresses this opinion in his annual report, tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. Since January 1, 1935, there have been 724 arms accidents in New Zealand. and 253 persons were killed. Mr Young says that a great many of the accidents have resulted from hidden dangers in the mechanism of weapons such as the hammer gun and the boltaction .Lee Enfield rifle when they are uncocked. Proper instruction in the handling of firearms is considered the best and most practical method of preventing accidents. Mr Young says that the rate of shooting accidents was disappointingly high again during the year 1949-50, after an improvement in 1948-49. Sixty-five shooting accidents were reported during the 1949-50 year. In another six cases, the Coroners, being unable to decide whether the case was an accident or suicide, gave open verdicts. Eleven of the accidents were fatal. The .22 calibre rifle v.’as responsible for 36 accidents, of which four were fatal; the 12 gauge shotgun for 21, of which five were fatal; and the 410 gauge shotgun for one, which was not fatal. The .303 rifle was responsible for four accidents, one being fatal; pistols for two, one being fatal; and an air pistol for one non-fatal accident.