Wanton Destruction By Irresponsible Shooters

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 39, 16 February 1938, Page 6

Wanton Destruction By Irresponsible Shooters

STOCK LOSSES REPORTED Per Press Association. MASTERTON, Feb. 15. Irresponsible shooters continue to b. • bugbear to Wairarapa farmers. La 9 week-end a party shooting at Moun - Bruce left in their wake four deat sheep and other damage, including broken bottles and shattered gate locks Other farmers have made similar com plaints to the police during the last fev months. It appears that most of this wantoi destruction is carried out by parties a shooters from outside districts who d( not realise their responsibility whex carrying a gun. Some have gone as fa: as to shoot panes of glass from country school windows, locks from county council tool-boxes, and insulators froir telegraph and power poles. Shooting from motor-cars is still prevalent, and the police have prosecutec In several instances of late. Section 176, part nine, of the Public Works Act 1928, states that *A fine of £5 will b€ imposed on the person or persons found using firearms on or within 50 feet of a public road.” The Masterton police have found thal most of these offences are committed by youths with pea-rifles or high-power-ed air-guns, in most cases unregistered

Farmers have found it a common occurrence when looking round theii sheep on a Monday morning to discove: dead or injured stock and damaged im plements on their properties.