GORE HIGH SCHOOL

Southland Times, Issue 20617, 16 October 1928, Page 4

GORE HIGH SCHOOL

PROPOSED RIFLE RANGE. DEPUTATION TO BOROUGH COUNCIL. A proposal to establish a miniature rifle range in the grounds of the Gore High School was under consideration at\ last night’s meeting of the Gore Borough Council when a deputation consisting of Messrs E. M. {Christie and T. Fyfe, members of the school staff, and Lieutenant McCormack, representing the Defence Department, sought the permission of the council to erect a range. Mr Christie said he understood that this matter had been brought before the council on a previous occasion, but had not. been favourably considered. However, six years’ experience of conditions under which musketry instruction had been carried out at the school had made him very desirous to see more satisfactory arrangements made. At present instruction was given under difficulties and interfered with the ordinary school work owing to the distance of the range from the school. The pupils did not have an equal opportunity with those attending other secondary schools and were under a severe handicap when competing against them. Lieutenant McCormack submitted a plan showing the construction of the proposed range. He slated that he had had 17 years’ experience of these ranges and had never known an accident to happen in connection with them. It would never be used except under the supervision of a ser-geant-major or of a member of the school staff. . In reply to a question by the Mayor Lieutenant McCormack said he did not think that the Department would give the council a letter indemnifying it against any claim arising through an accident in connection with the range. He would not say, however, that the Department would not accept responsibility. In the event of an accident occurring a departmental inquiry would be held and if it were shown that the blame rested with the Department it would po doubt accept the responsibility. If the Department owned the property would have no hesitation in erecting the range. The Mayor said he understood that in the event of the council giving its permission, residents in the vicinity of the school intended to take out an injunction with a view to having its erection stopped. If, however, the. Department gave the. council a letter indemnifying it against accident he felt sure that it would give its consent. Mr T. Fyfe said that the Department had not considered giving the council an indemnity because it could not see how the council could be held liable. Councillor D. Lyttle moved that the council ask the Department for a letter indemnifying it against any responsibility in the case of accident and also to give an undertaking to erect a barrier to the satisfaction of the council which would then further consider the proposal. Councillor W. D. Shelton said that it was in the interests of the school to have a satisfactory range and suggested that it might be possible to find a more convenient site than that of the present range. The Mayor: Here we are preaching peace and teaching our boys how to shoot one another. The whole thing is ridiculous. The motion was carried.