SHOOTING TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1931, Page 3

SHOOTING TRAGEDY

IN IN AX OAHU A’BUSH. MAN -MISTAKEN FOR .DEER. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association) REF ETON, April 20. Great regret was expressed yesterday in town at the sad news of a deplorable shooting tragedy in the bush about a mile from the 17 mile peg on the Reel ton-Maruia road, the victim K'ing Horace Talbot, aged '27, son til Mr Talbot, manager of the MatchlessColliery Inangahua. Three young men, Norman and Roy B'ditho-and (lie deceased left on a deer hunting expedition on SaJturday afternoon. Tlmy reached the tons of the Raliu hills and camped there for the night, A osterdny morning they tj-a veiled the tops shooting deer on the way to the hills near Stevenson's' Flat. During the latter part of the journey Talbot, lagged behind. When about a mile

from the foot of the hill, Norman Bolitho saw the. tracks of a stag_ that was about (5.30.. p.m., and then, lie saw what lie thought was an antler, and thinking that, his mate Talbot, was a long way behind, he manoeuvered to get. a shot., eventually fired, lie found to his dismay, that he had shot Talbot. A scream that accompanied the striking .of the bullet 111:1 <le him aware that it was " human being.

Talbot did not speak. The bullet entered his hack and eventually penetrn.ted the heart.

Not being able to carry the bod\ through the almost impenetrable bird'. Poy Rolftho came to town and inionnoil the police and a narty consisting ot Constable Houston, Messrs 'I. Neilsou. Austin Charles AfcElwee, W. Kine, .1. Rol>ertson, W. White and J. Fitzgerald supplemented by two roadmen (Messrs O’Brien and Murray), fr©m tlie Marilia Road, went into the hush to recover the body. 1 his part, ol tin country is very rough and inaccossihl • •• m i 'v nine's the drop' from the hillsides is straight. -Though the party kept going for some hours, they were unable to locate the scene of the tragedy, and eventually they camped for the night. At daylight this morning thp search was resumed and shortly after 7 o’clock the body was found. As it t°ok.over three hours to convey it to the roadside a distance ol about one mile, some idea of the roughn s> of the country may he gained. 1 lie body was convoyed to Reel ton in Mr ■Robertson’s lorry, which arrived here about 11.30 a.m.

The deceased, Horace Talbot, a sou of Mr and Mr* H., T/jlbot of Shi I St root, was a oopuhu' young man. He returned to Reel'tou .from . a visit to America at the end of last year. 'I he deepest sympathy is expressed with the family ,i.n , their, sudden bereavement. as well as with the principals in Ibe terrible misfortune that has accid-entally.-token.. place. ..