LITTLE BOY SHOT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 21 November 1930, Page 6

LITTLE BOY SHOT.

ACCIDENT WITH RIFLE. COMMENT AT INQUEST. (SOCIAL TO THH MESS.) TIMARU, November 'M. In returning a verdict that Lloyd Robert Bishop, aged five years, a son of Mr and Mrs L. R. Bishop, of Esk Valley. St. Andrews, died in the Tiroaru Hospital on October 27 th as the result of a rifle shot wound suffered on the return of the family from a rabbit-shooting expedition that afternoon, the District Coroner (Mr C. R Orr Walker) remarked, at the adjourned inquest this morning, that some good might come out of this sad affair which might prevent future accidents by knowing these facts 'No pood could to done, added the Coroner, "by bringing the boy, who was responsible for the death, to the inquest, as he would not appreciate the matter, lor he was only seven j'oars of age. This affair is a most painful one. It is realised that there is always a danger of a cartridge sticking in the magazine, and therefore it behoves everyone to emptv the magazine. The handing of tye riuo to the small lad was quite nil innocent act, as Air Bishop was satisfied that the gun was empty. The boy did what most boys would do—pulled the trigger, never dreaming of the consequences. All boys should be taught never to point a rifle at anyone. It would be o lesson to all l>oj-s to be very careful in this respect. Senior-Sergeant I. 11. Mathieson conducted the enquiry for the police. John Rasmnssen, uncle of the deceased, said that on the afternoon of October 20th he was out. rabbit-shoot-ing with Mr L. R. Bishop. Mrs Bishop, and their two sons, and witness s daughter. Mr Bishop was shooting with the gun (produced), which was witness's property. The gun, a Remington repeater, would hold ten long, or eleven short cartridges. To Senior-Sergeant Mathieson : I lie gun was not hard to manipulate, except that n cartridge might stick in the magaaino owing to the spring jamming. They returned to -Mr Bishop's house at 5..'30 p.m. The Senior-Sergeant; Did yon take any precautions to see if the gun were empty? Witness: 1 jerked back the ejector several times, and was satisfied the gun was emptv. On reaching the shed the party got out of the car. -\1 r Bishop got out with a standard in one hand, and the riflo in tho other. This was the last witness saw of the rifle. He was the first, of the party to reach the house. Witness was in front of the party when he heard a shot. and. looking round, he saw the boy lying on the ground. He rushed up and took the rifle trom the other boy—James Leonard Bishop. Leonard Roltert Pishop, father ot the boy who had been shot, said that on returning to the house, he put the car in the garage. FTe was last out of the car, with a rifle in one hand and a standard in the other. To the Senior-Sergeant: He was confident, that the rifle was emptv before he left the T'pper Rakaia bridge for home. When he got out of the car he handed it to his son. .Tames Leonard Bishop. The l>or. who was earrving the rifle, was behind his brother. Tie looker] hack at IL<"* boys as he walked towards the house, and he heard the gun discharged a few seconds after he had looked nronnd. Witness had had a Ion? oxnericneo with trims. He had loaded the rifle several times during the mornin". •Tohn Rasmnssen. recalled., demonstrated ho-tr a cartridce might eatch J in tho magazine, after the ejector had been moved. I To the Coroner; The j-reoautions taken by Mr Bishop had been reasonable. On re-eonsidornt ion of (l.e situation after tho painful oc'irronce he considered that the only W'iv to f.nd if the rifle were emptv would hj?. to px+raet tho mapazin".

The Coroner then returned th~ verdict reported ahove.