SHOOTING ON THE ESTUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17169, 12 October 1923, Page 1

SHOOTING ON THE ESTUARY.

[to THE EDITOR.] Sir,—-The Christchurch Sailing and Power Boat Club and the New Brighton Power Boating Club have had a suggestion made to them by the ” Star ” which they, should net - upon. They should lose no time in wiring to the Minister of Defence., protesting strenuously against the battery shoot ing across the Estuary during the week end. The Defence Department have taken this matter too much upon themselves. They consult nobody, but go straight ahead, fix the dates and the times, and “ respecttully ” request the yachting and motor-boat clubs to keep, tlieir fleets clear of the shelling Xbe Christchurch club, originally, intended to hold its opening day to morrow. but it was only the unsuitability of the tides which necessitated an alteration to October 27. Now. if tlic club had carried out its. original intentions, the usual successful opening day would have been completely marred, for the club's triangular yachting course, is over a greater part of the Estuarv. which will be shelled. Fisherirten. too. are always trawjing in the Estuary, and as the tide .will he flooding throughout to morrow after noon they will hove to lose a day’s work. Several depend upon the trawling for their livelihood. Small boys, too. are on the Estuary on Saturdays enjoying themselves in their punts. Why should the boys be deprived of -an afternoon’s rowing? Then there 'are the picnickers on the sand spit. They journey down to the Sumner end in numbers during the week end. The shoots last-year, as the “ Star ” declared, were a fiasco. The •unfortunate territorials who were paraded ha<l. on two days, to,keep behind the guns, on open ground, in pouring rain. There are manv more suitable places near Christchurch which could he substituted for a shooting ground. AVliv not place the guns on the Naval Re serve, a Governnieqt area, near Sum npr. and have the'targets moored at sea ? The danger would he nil --T am. RUDDER