ACCIDENTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2842, 5 August 1916, Page 7

ACCIDENTS

Sir,—You re|)ort to-day (Thursday) a very 6ad accident at Onehunga. Tho sympathy of all will go out to the lad who has to reproach himself for liis careless handling of a firearm; but the astonishing thing is that it should be necessary nowadays *to warn anyone wlio can lift n firearm against pointing ih"in fun.'- , Time after time—hundreds of

times—the same accident has pointed the 6ame lesson: "Knock down at once the boy who points a firearm at any other human being." Knock him kicking. Far better to injure him than to have him wailing for the, rest of. liis life, "I didn't know it was loaded I" It always is loaded; there is always some criminal ass in the neighbourhood to see to that, particular. While on the subject of Didn't Know, let mo mention another incident that to me explained a good mauy mysterious happenings. I camo down from Auckland by i rail the other day. At 6 o'clock in the morning I got out of my berth; dressed, and.went an to the platform to watch for daylight and Kuapehu. The .morning was tempestuous, and, of .course, there was hardly a glimmer of light at thnt time. A lurch of the train-threw me against the outermost iron stanchion. I recovered myself without difficulty. Imagine my horror when, as I went to replace my right band in my pocket; 1 felt the top of the platform gate! The gate was out of place. Instead of being wider my right hand it should nave been at my left. There was no barrier between me and the track. Tho explanation, of course, was simple: Some wretched being bad been on the platform before me and opened the gale to look at the view, perhaps, and had loft il. open when be returned to tho carriage. Such an act is, in fact, a crime. I waited for the guard and told lnm, nnd questioned him, but ha took his dutle* very coolly. It was In truth n cool morning. But guards should be encouraged to be warm over finch matters. If. they wpre instructed to in-

dulge in a Tittle light assault and bat. tcry of such a pudding-brained fool as could leave a gate open under sueh elfr.nmstanc<w, we should bear less of poor

fific and soldiers being mysteriously lost off trains. I feel certain of this from my own sensation on the occasion I narrate.—l am, etc..

Wellington, August 3, 1916.