FATAL GUN ACCIDENT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1147, 2 June 1880, Page 2

FATAL GUN ACCIDENT.

The Ashburton Mail reports a fatal gnu accident which took plate on Sunday morning last to a young man named George Bland. It appears that about half-past 9 o’clock on that morning he, in company with another young man named James Purchase, started on horseback with a gun each, bound for Mrs Bland’s house, some ten miles up the Ashburton, intending to shoot as they went up the river, and to stop at that lady’s house for the night. They kept up the river looking out for a shot, and when about four miles out of Ashburton reached a swamp where there seemed to be plenty of game. This swamp is at the Ashburton Forks, and James Purchase then dismounted, and George Bland remained in the saddle, holding his friend’s horse. A duck rose, aud Purchase fired and missed, using the right barrel of the gun, which was an ordinary double-barrelled one. Bland told Purchase that he had missed through his gun not being fully cocked, and persuaded him to put the other barrel full cock. Purchase then went between the two horses at Bland’s request for the lattet to pub the charge into the gun, as Purchase’s ammunition was in his coat pockets strapped on the horse’s saddle. Bland poured in the powder, and Purchase rammed it home. Bland thou gave Purchase a cap, which he placed on the right nipple, holding the barrel in the left land. At this moment the horses started and ckme together. Purchase stepped back from between them, drawing the gun towards him, when the left hammer caught his clothes, and the gun being on full cock went off, the charge lodging in Bland’s right leg, just in the calf, 3in. below the knee. Being so close the charge oE shot entered the leg as if it were a b;*,i! 3

hhaitei’ing the smaller bone and coming o- 4dn two places. The sufferer was removed to Mr Dally^ house outlie Wakaimi road, where life Was attended to by Drs. Stewart, Ross-, and Irwin, but notwithstanding that every possible attention was paid him, he expired at 9 o’clock the same evening.