Shooting Should Benefit

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31125, 30 July 1966, Page 11

Shooting Should Benefit

'ALTHOUGH Christchurch is not offering shooting as either a definite or an alternative sport in its application for the 1970 British Commonwealth and Empire Games, it appears as if the publicity given to the nonselection of the sport is going to be beneficial in the long run.

Shooting played a major part in gaining Christchurch the right to lobby for the Games, even if it is not offering it as a sport. Auckland, Christchurch’s main rival, did not even consider shooting and Christchurch’s small margin of support can be attributed to the support given by shooting associations throughout New Zealand. As a result, it is not surprising that shooting was so critical when it discovered the sport was not included in. Christchurch’s official application. However, a team of shooters has gone to Jamaica and, if they are successful, they will have proved once and for all that New Zealand is in the forefront of international competition. Concern must now be given to the non-selection

of pistol shooters for the Empire Games.

New Zealand’s pistol laws have not permitted the growth of pistol shooting as a sport, although New Zealand, whose standard of rifle shooting is so high, would very probably make a strong impression on international competition with pistols too. Shooting is now the second most popular Olympic sport, following track and field athletics, and even if Christchurch or Edinburgh do not have shooting in 1970, it is going to continue as an Olympic sport. Pressure is building up for New Zealand to get in step with international thought and develop shooting as a sport. The importance of shooting is the choice of Christchurch as the Empire Games venue, and the increasing international importance of the sport, must increase the prospects of improving New Zealand’s firearms laws. As the standard of shooting in New Zealand is particularly high by international standards, the sooner this happens the sooner New Zealand will be able to take its rightful place in international competition.