Rod and Gun Civilian Firearm Safety Code Proposed

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31450, 17 August 1967, Page 8

Rod and Gun Civilian Firearm Safety Code Proposed

, especially written for "Thi

ie Press" by Jj

JAMES SIERS)

It seems strange that lethal weapons are put Into the hands of persons who have not been asked to demonstrate their ability to handle them safely and with due responsibility. Evidence of this irresponsibility may be seen in shot-up road signs, power poles and other targets. Evidence of misuse is the book of statistics of; fatal accidents. The greatest danger of fatal shooting accident lies in deerstalking. Bird shooters are listed among the deaths, but here the accident is more often self-indicted. In deerstalking the pattern is for one member to shoot another, demonstrating in most cases a complete lack of basic training and rifle safety appreciation by shooting at an improperly identified target The New Zealand Deerstalkers* Association has, in the last few years, urged a new line of thought towards gun and rifle control. It has worked with the Federation of Rifle, Rod and Gun Sportsmen to this end. Shortly after last year’s annual conference, the federation presented to the Minister of Police a comprehensive submission on firearms ownership and education of firearms users. This year’s New Zealand Deerstalkers' Conference in In vercargill was told that the Minister had rejected the federation’s proposals as restrictive and lacking the support of a majority of the people. This is a great pity. What the Minister of Police finds restrictive is a proposal which has been adopted by several European countries over a long period with good effect and success. It embodies the principle of self-discipline, : rather than an ineffective registration system which has ' been responsible for the creation of a massive filing sys- j tern, taxing a large number of cabinets in each police dis- 1 trict ■ No Central File ; I once tried to get the total j number of registered weapons in New Zealand listed on j paper, a figure I feel would , be of interest to many , shooters and legislators , throughout the country. I ( found that there is no central file and that each police dis- ] trict would have to be asked < to make a special inventory, ( a task involving considerable ( work. , What does the present sys- J tern of registration do to safe- j guard the public against missuse of firearms? The answer . is very little. It is not j designed for this purpose. If , a misdemeanour has been com-| mitted and through a system of detection the weapon is i found, then it may be traced back to its last registered owner, if there was one. In many cases there isn’t. A njan who premeditates

homicide does not buy a rifle from a shop, register it, and then , shoot his intended victim. More 1 likely in this case he will obtain one on the black market, or steal it. In a' few tragic cases, such as the Graham incident on the West Coast in the 19405, or the affair in the Hutt Valley, where twb constables were killed, the intent is not disguised and the problem of detection does not exist. The' European system is based on responsible ownership. To own a firearm, the shooter must join an organisation which features its use. If he is a big game hunter, he joins a hunting organisation; if a big bore target shooter, he joins a club of this nature. He may prefer smallbore, pistol or shotgun; there are organisations catering for each. The next step is for the club committee to appraise his responsibility and knowledge of weapons handling and safety precaution. When this is up to standard, a recommendation is made that this person is fit to possess a firearm. Federation’s Aims But coming back to the aims of the Federation of Rifle, Rod and Gun Sportsmen. Primarily, the federation seeks the institution of a qualifying test for those persons who wish to own firearms. It suggests that prospective shooters study a code, in much the same way as drivers study the road, code. When they can pass an examination demonstrating their knowledge, a permit to purchase may be issued. The federation’s concern about firearms safety came up for a broad discussion at a seminar organised by the National Mountain Safety Council and held at Lake Rotoiti in March. It was agreed that “the organisation's representative on the seminar, and any other suitable organisations, be asked by the National Mountain Safety Council to nominate representatives who will meet to compile a complete civilian firearm safety code with the intention that such a code may be adopted in similar manner to the Road Safety code. In response to the recommendations of. the seminar, the Police Department decided to convene a conference of interested organisations to prepare a civilian code of this nature. The conference was held in May. In addition to reaching agreement on an outline of the code, the conference made certain recommendations to the- Police Department, ; (1) That the present system of registering firearms' be altered to one of licensing the user (including future purchasers of shotguns). '

(2) That certain types of firearms be banned from importation (the fixed-firing pin type <>f semi-automatic , -rbto)- : ■ ■' < (3) That gunsmiths be encouraged to form a guild to ensure . competent workmanship and also , with a view to eventually establishing a system of . warrants of fitness for firearms ownership changes. (4) That- spotlighting be > strongly disapproved of, except in certain circumstances such as farmers on their own property and rabbit destruction work under permit (5) That a proper system of approval of plans and inspection of rifle ranges be established. (6) That firearms-users be strbngly encouraged to cover or encase weapons when in public places or when transporting them, first for safety, reasons and second to improve public confidence in sportsmen. The eventual publication and adoption of the code will, I feel, be one of the more positive steps toward safer firearms use jin New Zealand. But sportsmen should not accept this as the final answer. Shooters who are sincere enough will not mind going through a period of apprenticeship, for their own benefit and their fellow sportsmen.