EAST COAST NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1541, 24 August 1905, Page 3

EAST COAST NEWS.

Mr and Mrs J. R. Murphy (Gisborne) writes the London correspondent of the New Zealand Horald, who have come to the Mother Country on their “ honeymoon ” trip, travelled by way of San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, Denver, Omaha, and Chicago, staying for a few days at each plsoe, and winding up with New York. They orossed to Liverpool by the s.s. Luoania, and have since come up to London. A verdict of accidental death was returned in connection with the sbootiog fatality at Tolago Bay. Hori Patene Pubipuhi, brother of deceased, deposed that after returning home from school at 1 pm. he commenced playing with his father’s gun, which had been left hanging on the wall of the house, lie lifted up deceased, who was only two years old, stood him outside, and shut the cookhouse door. He laid the gun on the window sill, not thinking it was loaded, pulled the trigger, and it went off. When the gun went off he put it down and ran to pick up his brother, calling him by namo. Deceased answered the first call, but not the second. Witness’ father had not warned him not - to touch the gun, and there was nobody * at home when he took the gun down, as he had been told to stay homo that after*

noon, and look aftor liie brothor. WitnoßS had handled the gun previously when it was not loadod. Ho was fond of his brother. Karauria Puhlpuhi stated that his son Hori was 11 yours of age. Tho gun was loft within onßy roaoh of him. Witness had usod tho gun last for shooting pigs, and had forgotten to tako out tho cartrides. Hori had boen loft in ohargo of tho child, and witnoss did not think ho would shoot his brothor wilfully. Dr. Bookie doposed that tho gun apponrod to bavo boon fired from a distanoo of 50 foot. Doath would bo almost instantanoous, and doooasod’s head, loft arm and log vvoro fairly riddled with shot.