THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1907. THE PEA-RIFLE DANGER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8327, 8 January 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1907. THE PEA-RIFLE DANGER.

It would be as well if pai-ents of boys owning pea-rifles and other such firearms took notice of the fact that the Firearms Act came into operation on January Ist, remarks a) contemporary. The public have long been in danger of serious injury through the indiscriminate use of these weapons, while in many cases loss of life has been occasioned thereby. The new Act is a very drastic one, and in future the holi-day-making small boy will find that he is cut off from this source of amusement, a disability which is attributable to no one but himself. The Act of last session says that no person the age of 16 may have in his possession, "any firearm of a less calibre than .303." Storekeepers must not in future supply or sell firearms, or ammunition for firearms, to anyone under 16 years of agei. The penalty for»breaches of the Act is a fine of £lO and forfeiture of any firearm found in possession of a person under the specified age. ' The only ones exempted under the provisions of the Act are those "practising under proper supervision with a Morris tube or miniature rifle on properly constructed miniature rifle ranges." This exemption chiefly applies, of course, to cadets. The Act is of a sweeping nature, but it was made necessary by a long record of accidents and fatalities. In one instance a parent was mulcted in damages and costs amounting to £6OO as the result of carelessness in using a pearifle, and cases of the shooting of stock are plentiful. In view of the comparatively heavy penalty, parents and guardians would be well advised to see that the new Act is observed by those under their care.

Masterton of- late years has not been particularly favoured with Ministerial visits, but we certainly hoped that the Hon. Mr McNab, Minister

for Lands, would have included this town in the list of places where he yet proposes to explain the Land Bill. It seems that Mr McNab, in the near future, will speak both at Carterton and Eketahuna, and in each place he will, no doubt, be greeted with a large audience, and will receive an attentive hearing. The apparent decision of the Mnister for Lands to leave Masterton "out in the cold" seems, however, to suggest that he has some special reason for making the omission. Perhaps Mr McNab considers that the residents of Masterton and the surrounding district are not interested in land settlement, and the land tenure question generally, or that they are already converted to the various proposals in his Land Bill. At any rate, whatever the position may be, we hope that some effort will be made to persuade the (Minister for Lands to deliver a speech in-Masterton in the course of his present propaganda.

The distinct success which marked the opening of the Bowling Tournament, yesterday, is a matter for gratification, and there is every prospect that fine weather will prevail until the Tournament is concluded. The large number of visiting bowlers is very strong evidence of the popularity of the game in this country, and the enthusiasm of New Zealand bowlers. The officials of the Masterton Club are to be congratulated upon the completeness of the arrangemnts they have made for the entertainment of the visitors, and, altogether, the function now in progress should be long remembered in the annals of Masterton bowling.