THE DEADLY PEA RIFLE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13035, 31 March 1910, Page 4

THE DEADLY PEA RIFLE.

The occurrence of another pea-rifle fatality, reported in last evening’s issue, agate brings into unpleasant relief the average carelessness of the public and the strange indifference of its legislators to things ol the deepest and most obvious significance. If a lad chooses to go shooting without any knowledge of guns, and equipped with a rifle which cocks automatically, and goes off under feather pressure, or is liable to jamb and burst, apparently there is no law to prevent Mm. The public are simply requested to keep out of the line of accidental fire, and if they don’t, they must put up with the consequences. Every rifle issued by the Government for adult use is first carefully tested. But lads can buy rifles that are faultily made or too nervously triggered, and go out and shoot with them as freely as they can gather stones from the road to shy at birds. As a consequence scarcely, a week passes but a pearifle accident is recorded. Snrely it is time authority exerted itself. It ought nr-l to be a very difficult matter to at least regulate the sale of rifles, so as to ensure the user against mishaps which even the gun-wise would find it difficult to avoid. The casualty list in connection with the use of the pea rifle certainly justifies vigorous prevention of the carrying of these dangerous toys by boys.