WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 109, 21 January 1880, Page 3

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

On Saturday a^fjier^oon the butts bj the Kaiwarra Eifles, was the scene of a fatal accident of a somewhat extraordinary au4 certainly very lamen* charactep. The range m question is situated at 'Hawkins Gully on the Hutt road, and it some distance |rom the township. On Saturday afterpoon a detachment of local corps cqn. listing ofipaptam Chas. Thompaoni Lieut. D,. D. Cameroni Sub-Lieut. J. H. Qverend, ai;d three were out practising and a man named Francis Donald was marking. About 5.30 firing was going on at the 400 yards distance, and . Lewis Chemus one of the three privates had at this time pqs.seqsiou qf the target. Just a? Chemus drew his trigger .Donald uncovered himself m frgut of the target, and was struck by the bullet though the J^ead being killed instantaneously. The bullet entered th,e right side of the head a little below and behind the ear, and passed straight through. T^e unfortunate man had ihown the danger ftag, but had followed up too quickly, and he was not obsei'Ved m tune to enabje the firing of Chejuu's rifle to be stopped. The body of the deceased was conveyed to the Kainbow Hotel, where an inquest Will be held to-day, at tf '-o'clock, by Mr. Johnson. Donald Was a laborer and leaves a.- wife- a. nd five childreas. On Saturdar night a subscription was started at the hote^ for the assistance of the widow and family «f the deceased and m a yery short time £42 was raised. Thft sum will no doubt greatly augmented byjthe^contribution* of a sympathetic public. Information of the unfortunate occurrence was brought to to.wn by Lieut. Cameron and Dr. I)iver > andSerist. % 'fieady proceeded to Kaiwarra, but the unfortunate victim of the accident WB/S past all human aid. The sad catastrophe has ca.at a gloom over the district, and great sympathy is entertained towards Donalds widovf and family, and also the volunteer who was the unwitting causo of the disaster. . ; ' ;