RIFLE HELD TO RE DANGEROUS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26465, 5 July 1951, Page 3

RIFLE HELD TO RE DANGEROUS

Importation to be | STOPPED INQUEST into young f BOYS’ DEATH • (Ifew Zealand Press Association) I WELLINGTON. July 4. 4* t 0 New Zealand tpo^ la D n e d pa^ nt be B* Y el M^? istr J ct Cofdner (Mr > G- L. Melhsh) said this to-day at tone, during an inquest irto th J sth of a five-yearold boy, Michae* lb ert Morgan, who died of a gun ot-wound in his head on Mav 31 Evidence had been given by Y the y's 12-ve a r-old brother. Reeve Warb Morgan, that the two boys had Fe ,? e> ? n tke morning of Mav The older boy had begun playing !? a h™ih Cahbre J rifle owned by an der brother and had put a live rtridge in the breech. UVe Tte sun had gone off, and the bullet t the younger boy in his head. He cd a te£ a t the Hutt Hospital The rifle had the appearance of an cellent weapon, made by reputable W riX‘} rerS - b u- U h ? d severa l seriis defects resulting from faulty depi. said Sergeant W. A. T. McGuir * the arms and ballistic section of the olice Force in Wellington Sergeant McGuire said that, besides iger pressure, the rifle could be fired ith the action cocked, by bumping 1 sur toce; with the action un’un « .Puling the cocking piece “V to the rear and letting it slip ir 2o finders, letting the striker lake contact with the firing primer of ie cartridge; and with the action unacked. by striking the rear end of ie cocking piece, as could happen if ie arm were dropped against a ledge, ie running-board of a car, or a simiir object. It was the policy of the Po;ice Delartment to exclude from New Zeaand firearms which were liable to lischarge in this manner, by refusing o grant import licences for them, iergeant McGuire said. Steps were seing taken to have other rifles of he same model already in the counit checked for safety. The Coroner said he understood the jslice were not going to prohibit the sate of rales already in stock, and he ns not going to make any declaration against the rifle. Die Coroner found that the boy haa fed as the result of an accidental runshot wound.