ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2494, 22 June 1915, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

CONSTABLE'S SUDDEN DEATH. By Telegraph— Press Association. Pahlatua, June 21. News has reached here that Constable Fraser, stationed for tho last few months at l'ongaroa, dropped dead on Saturday, apparently from heart disease. Just previously lie had been chopping wood. Decoased was of fine physique, a young man, and married, with a young family. He was recently transferred from Tinakori Road, Wellington. [According to our Masterton correspondent, the late Constable Fraser was a married man, about 40 years of age, and was the nephew of Mr. John Hessey, of Masterton.] Whilst Mr. F. Hyde, of Gisborne, was riding along the road behind the Taruheru Freezing Works a week ago, says an. exchange, he was shot in the right chest by a bullet. He managed to reach a house in the locality, and on his brother being sent for the injured man was taken to toe hospital, where he arrived in ratner a weak state owing to the loss of blood. The pellet has not yet (Saturday) been located, and until a thorough examination can be made the extent of the injury cannot be ascertained. Jn the meantime the patient is progressing as favourably as can be expected. It appears that three youths were in a paddock about a chain from the road, which was obscured by a gorse hedge, and were shooting at a tin with a pea-rifle. They exhausted their ammunition; and knew nothing about the accident until they were sent for by the occupier of the house_ into which Mr. Hyde had gone. The injured man was about 350 yards from where the boys wore firing, and he must have been struck from a slanting direction.