1 Apr 2011

Firearms safety training being offered on marae

6:00 pm on 1 April 2011

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council is joining iwi and police to offer firearms safety training on marae around the country.

Chief executive Darryl Carpenter says pilot programmes run at marae in Te Urewera and the East Coast have been very successful.

While most people on rural marae were proficient hunters and competent firearms users, he told Waatea News, many youngsters were being exposed to firearms without proper training.

Mr Carpenter says respected hunters in each community are being trained to run the programmes.