BOYS AT PLAY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10639, 18 May 1912, Page 5

BOYS AT PLAY

THE USE OF FIREARMS. Bruce Dixon was dharged in the Magistrate's Court at iMasterton yesterday with .having discharged a fiirearm in< a public <pl«ice,'oih May 12fch, 1912. Mr Moran appeared for defendant. ,• Sergearx Miller stated that accused and amothcir boy had been-; out shooting oni the. Sii'jiiciay mentioned in the charge, and mat tibree otlier 'boys on the Te Ore Ore road. (The former had "bailed Tip" the latter and demanded matches, ■ lollies, and a cigarette. The three boys later went away, and iDixon. fired at them, some of the shot striking (the 'boys in the back. Accused' had subsequently abated that he did not intend lo do the boys any bodily harm.

Mr IReid pointed out that discharging fiirea,rmis in that manner was a' serious offence.

'Mr Mloran said that all the boys were friends:,. arid 'the. case was not as serious.as 'had' been made out. The accused did not "bail <up the others, no arms being presented. The accused had heviw fold that the'gun he had would not cany more than. 30 yards, and when -the three boys were about one hundred yards away the others deckled to give them a scare by firing off 'the gun.. The shot ploughed nip the ground thirty yards l away. There was no intention to do bodily harm.

His Worship' -said .that he did not think for one moment that accused intended to ■do bodily ' harm to the other - hoys,, or otherwise the police would have laid a more .serious charge against them. Boys must understand that they' could' mot discharge firearms im that manner. He would -inflict a fine of as and lis casts.