THE PEA RIFLE NUISANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 12

THE PEA RIFLE NUISANCE.

j The North Otago Agricultural and Pasj toral .Association, having bad its notice ' directed to tho loss incurred by farmers ! through tiie indiscriminate ajid careless use of pea rifles, has decided to forward 1 a letter in the following terms to all kindred associations in the Dominion, and to all j members of Parliament:—"Owing to tho daily increasing instances of animals being ■ either cruelly injured or destroyed by irresponsible youths discharging pea rifles, we are fully persuaded that the time has come for effective measures to be taken to put, a stop to such wanton cruelty; and . with this object in view, would respectfully I suggest that your association use every en- | deavour in its power to have such legis- | lation passed' as will ensure protection to ' animal life from what is at present a verit- : able curse in the land —namely, the pea : rifle. This association has taken the matter uip with enthusiasm, and in addition to the j above proposed legislation is going further . and petitioning for a ' gun license ' throughJ out tho Dominion, and ask the support of ' your association in both these matters." j Tho need which, it is held, exists for the ; imposition of some restriction upon the sale an,d use of pea rifles has been urged also upon the Otago .Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to which it i has been represented that a great deal of suffering has been caused to domestic animals , that have been shot and maimed—and in | some instances killed—as the result, of the culpable negligence on the part of persons .discharging these implements. "This ! rifle," says a farmer, writing to a repre- ' sentative of the society, " has been a perfect curse in the land, a.s many farmers , know to their cost, and one daily hears of frceh instances of animals being either killed or maimed. People are continually tolling me of their losses sustained at the hands of irresponsible callous youths discharging these dangerous weapons. Thousands of pounels annually are lost to the farming community through the ruthless ; destruction of stock in this manner, and the time has surely oom« when action ; should be taken by a society which has been long established to protect animal life." The committee of the society, we understand, discussed the matter at some ■ length at its last, meeting.