A Caution Against Dangerous Toys

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7295, 4 August 1930, Page 11

A Caution Against Dangerous Toys

Many times has been demonstrated the. folly of allowing children to carry air-guns and fire them "When and where they like . The old caution: “Never point a gun oven an empty one,” should bo instilled into the minds of all small boys, and fathers should not hesitate to punish thofie who disregard this warning. It is, of course, good for boys to bo taught to shoot straight—not for warlike purposes, but to help them to cultivate a straight eye. This can be done by rigging up a target in a garden and encouraging the youngsters to try and beat their own best. Apart from air-guns, parents should take further precautions. against possible injury to their children’s eyes. Bows and arrows have destroyed the sight of many an innocent playmate, B-Ud catapults have done the game thing. . Then there comes the question of steam engines, home-made (fireworks, and the like. Tears ago I knew a boy whoso chief amusement was to buy cheap stationary steam engines and, when he had raised the steam to the danger point, hurriedly to retreat and wait for the thrilling Bang!. This went on for a long time, and the youthful engineer’s friends gathered together almost daily to witness the explosions. Finally, something went wrong with the works, and the expected bang ! came before its time, with the tragic result that the boy and ono of his friends each lost an eye. , The same thing happened to the son |of a friend who amused himself by making fireworks. This time the result was even more tragic, for the little fellow was blinded for life.