MUSKETRY AT SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18630, 11 February 1924, Page 9

MUSKETRY AT SCHOOLS.

LABOUR AND "MILITARISM." OBJECTION TO RIFLE RANGE. [bx TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHBISTCHDKCH. Saturday. The following letter from the trades and Labour Council was read at a meeting of the Technical College Board of Governors last evening:— Enclosed cheque for £1 Is is this council's contribution to the Technical College. This is just half our ordinary donation, and is intended as a protest against the board establishing a rifle range in the college grounds for the purpose of training the youth of the city to take human life." • Dr. Hansen, director of the college, reported that he had replied to the letter, stating *hat the council was not in possession of all the facts. There was no desire to " boom" rifle shooting in the college, and the fact that the shooting was all carried out at the college made it less militaristic than it had been. Mr. F. R. Cooke said the Labour Party objected to militarism being introduced into the schools. Militarism had made a sad mess of Europe and they did not want the same state of affairs in New Zealand.

Mr. A. Peverill said that he could not agree with Mr. Cooke. Musketry was not training, except for sport. Shooting was one of the finest sports in the world and to indulge therein it was nut necessary to enter on a battlefield. Mi - . H. E. Armstrong, M.P., said thab they were not compelled to train the boys in musketry. In doing this they were carrying out the policy which had become the curse of the world. They had to attend to the education of the children and not to teach them how *» shoot straight. Dr. Hansen' letter in reply to the council was approved.