Shooting Accident at Otakl.

Manawatu Herald, 3 August 1895, Page 3

Shooting Accident at Otakl.

The Mail reports that on Wednesday a party of four young men went out shooting in the bush near Otaki and agreed to divide, two going otle way and two another, but the resolution as to the two parties taking different directions was evidently not carried out. Bright and McCleland, instead of going the ridge allotted them» only proceeded a short distance* when they decided to take another route, which was really in the same direction as their comrades. On: turning to alter their course, a kaka flew down towards the ground out of a mtro tree, whan Bright exclaimed —*• Don't fire* Mac) there's George just down there I" Hardly were these words spoken, when a report Was heard* and McCleland shouted "You've ; shot me Hortiel" thinking at the i time that it was Bright who had fired. Bright then called out mii stantaneoUsly " George, you've shot i us both i" (The explanation is that George Wright had fired at the same bird as his mates had sighted* killing iti but had not noticed , McCleland and Bright, who Were ■ some 18 or 20 yards away.) When Wright saw the result of the shot he .. had ... fired, be, riisjied. up, to, bis. j mates-^-one of whom, Bright, was lying on the ground in a faint, with i his gun close by— *nd proceedefl 0 i bandage up the wounds. Without . knowing it, he was standing with , his foot right in front of the* loaded: I gun which Bright had left on the [ ground, when McOleland, who had • been shot in the legs, and Was \ hopping about evidently in pain, - accidentally kicked the trigger of the i gun, Which was discharged with full . force into the hollow of Wright's • foot, blowing the waist of the boot r clean away* i Frank Cootes, the uninjured member of the party, helped the sufferers I to the house of Mrs Collier* and > then gallbped as fast as possible into town for assistance. i Wright's injuries proved to be the most serious of the three, the full ! charge, passing through the hollow of his foot, below the instep. i Bright received one shot only in the abdomen, but fully a doiien peppered the froht of his legs. McCleland's legs only received the shot, about a dozen entering the thigh and calf, some of which have since been extracted.