MOUNTAIN SAFETV

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 37

MOUNTAIN SAFETV

Council campaign to avoid firearm tragedy

-Mountain safety is not just a matter of how to climb up a bighill without falling off. -As the constitution of the National Mountain Safety Council will tell you, it is also there previde education in bushcraft, tramping, the use of firearms and allied activities, and the training of safe procedures. The council also provides publicity and information to encourage the public to enjoy mountain recreation safely. This year has been declared “Firearms Safety ’80” by the council, which

has organised many activities throughout the country to make its point. Very simply, the Mountain Safety Council is making a major effort to promote sporting firearms as a legitimate, popular and safe form of recreational activities, as the following article shows: Every year, at least three children are killed or seriously, maimed in accidents with firearms, tragedies which could have been avoided with careful and responsible handling of guns and ammunition. With this chilling fact in mind, the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council has launched a publicity campaign entitled “Firearms Safety ’80,” which will continue throughout the year. Statistics show that, in the 40 years before 1974, there were 2015 accidents involving firearms. This gives an average of almost one per week, a figure which speaks for itself. The Mountain Safety

Council strongly recommends that everyone handling firearms should join a group which caters for their interests, such as a - gun club or the Deerstalkers’ Association. The value of this advice is clearly illustrated by statistics. In 1972, 53 accidents occurred to non-club members, and four to club members. The following year, 41 people who did not belong to a dub suffered accidents, compared with only six who did. In 1974, the number of- club members involved in accidents fell to four, as against 43 non-members. .The Mountain Safety

Council lists several. factors which will lead to accidents and fatalities. These include failure to identify a target, shooting at a movement, colour, shape or sound. Shooters .often fail to consider the firing zone. It is pointed out that, if a .22 bullet misses its target, it can travel for about 1,6 km, while a .303 bullet which was wide of the mark could travel for about 6 km. Other commonsense advice given includes: Load the magazine only when you reach the hunting ground; use a half-open bolt or. action in a state of semi-readiness; do not store firearms of ammunition where they can be reached by children; when getting through a fence, open file breech of the rifle and pass it to 'your companion ' ; before climbing over, or, if shooting alone, put the gun under the fence first then climb over. Shooters are reminded of the laws which protect them and the public. . One which is often ignored is-that carrying a loaded rifle in a vehicle is illegal, as is shooting on to private land from a road. It is also an offence to discharge a firearm with reckless disregard or in a public place (such as a road), in or near Ka dwelling-house. Storagefis also strictly' cont Tolled ahd it is illegal to leave a firearm in circumstances .endangering life. • The Mountain Safety Council has more than 500 voluntary firearms safety instructors throughout the country, including 30. based in Canterbury. Mr Graeme Barber, of 10 Cavendish Road, Christchurch 5. Phone 529-293 • (home) or 894-665 (work between 12 and 1 p.m.). would be pleased to give further details of its work and to speak to interested groups. _____