THE KING SHOOTS A FRIEND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 894, 20 September 1910, Page 3

THE KING SHOOTS A FRIEND.

| The Sydney Sun gives the fol- | lowing version to a recent cable | regarding an accident at the Royal i hunting expedition at Balmoral ; i “ All England to-day is wildly I excited over a highly-sensational j accident that occurred yesterday at a Royal hunting expedition at Balmoral, his Majesty’s pictur-esquely-situated castle in Braemar, Scotland. Braemar is noted for its forests and red deer, and deerstalking is the regular thing when members of the Royal family are in residence at Balmoral. Yesterday, however, it appears, the party were after grouse, and were using fowling-pieces, which was perhaps fortunate for at least one of the sportsmen. “The King had gone out, accompanied by Lord Kilmarnock and the latter’s brother-in-law, Sir Victor Mackenzie, Bart. His Majesty has the reputation of being a rather good shot, but yesterday his marksmanship seems to have been a trifle erratic, to say the least of it. It really cannot be said exactly what happened, as the most desperate efforts have been made to hush the whole thing up. But it has transpired that Lord Kilmarnock was shot by his Majesty, and badly wounded.

“ It was only with the greatest difficulty that what few particulars have been published were gleaned. At the time of the accident Lord Kilmarnock was standing about forty yards from the King, who was carrying a double-barrelled hammerless gun. Whether the weapon went off accidentally, or whether his Majesty fired at something, not knowing that Lord Kilmarnock was in the way, cannot be ascertained. But the gun did go off, and his Lordship got the full charge at what was well within the “ killing ’* distance for game. The mishap, of course, created intense consternation amongst the other members of the shooting party. It was at once seen that the victim of the’accident was badly hurt. He had been thickly peppered about the face and body. Indeed, it is said, that but for the protection afforded by his glasses he would have been blinded for life. “The King, of course, was much distressed at the untoward occurrence, which, needless to say, brought the day’s pleasure to an abrupt termination.”