Enraged Bull Kills Well-Known Farmer

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 712, 11 July 1929, Page 9

Enraged Bull Kills Well-Known Farmer

TRAGEDY AT TE PUA NEIGHBOUR'S PLUCKY EFFORT In the presence of two horrified neighbours, an esteemed resident and well-known public man in the Helensville district was fatally injured yesterday by an enraged Shorthorn bull. Gallant, but futile attempts at rescue were made by a farmer who witnessed the tragedy, the bull being blinded with the pellets from a shot-gun before it released its victim. Mr. John Clayton Rimmer, aged 57. After being carried from ihe pad dock where the savage attack took place, Mr. Rimmer was rushed by ambulance to the Auckland Hospital, where he died an hour after admission last evening. Practically every part of his body had suffered injury. A leg and several ribs were broken, there were serious injuries to his head, chest and abdomen, and severe abrasions. His chest was terribly crushed. The neighbour whose plucky effort proved unavailing was Mr. A. J. Skelton who. armed only with a pitchfork, advanced into the paddock and shouted loudly while he prodded the maddened beast. The bull, a gigantic, specimen weighing more than half a ton, and with a horn spread of about three feet, took no notice of him. SUDDEN CHARGE The tragedy took place while Mr. Rimmer. a single man, was walking across a 20-acre paddock to inspect stock. He had been in Auckland for several days attending the Winter Exhibition and was doing the usual rounds on his farm. Near the centre of the paddock the bull, w T hich had been following Mr. Rimmer, advanced closer. Several times he waved it off with his arms, but it became infuriated and charged. A graphic story is told by Mr. and Mrs. Skelton, who were working in their orchard and who noticed the trouble Mr. Rimmer was having in waving away the bull. As it rushed Mrs. Skelton cried “It has got him’’ and ran for a pitchfork. Mr. Rimmer managed to evade the bull’s first rush, but the immense beast wheeled and threw’ the farmer heavily. He was badly shaken and unable to rise and run to safety. Again and again the bull charged, becoming still more infuriated and bellowing wildly. It trampled on its victim, savaged him, then threw him high in the air, ripping his clothes and tearing his flesh. Despite his terrible ordeal Mr. Rimmer remained conscious. ARMED WITH PITCHFORK, j By this time Mr. Skelton, who had . armed himself with the pitchfork, had covered the considerable distance between his orchard and the centre of Mr. Rimmer’s paddock. Without hesitation he approached the bull, shouted loudly, and attacked it with the fork. Although he did his best to divert the attention of the beast Mr. Skelton could do nothing. The bull ignored him and continued to savage, the body that lay in a huddled heap on the grass, trampling on it and tossing it w’ith sharp, powerful horns. After a few moments Mr. Skelton’s prodding and shouting had some effect and the bull made a short, but ineffective rush at him. Meanwhile Mrs. Skelton had telephoned to Mr. James Osborne, another neighbour, who appeared with a shotgun. The bull turned to charge Mr. Skelton again but was blinded by two shots. Hastily called, an ambulance left Auckland at 5.30 p.m., arriving at 0 o’clock. Mr. Rimmer, who had been taken to Helensville in a motor-car, was transferred to the ambulance, which returned to the city immediately. Half an hour after arrival iu Auckland, Mr. Rimmer died. “It was the most terrifying sight I have ever seen,” declared Mr. Skelton. '‘Before I could reach the spot Mr. Rimmer had been tossed about 15 times. He must have been thrown in the air about 25 times altogether. "IDEAL PUBLIC MAN” The late Mr. Rimmer was a prominent and particularly well-liked resident of the Helensville district. He figured prominently in electric power board affairs a few years ago when the Waitemata Power Board came into existence, and he was the founder of the movement that led to the organisation of that concern. His was the moving spirit in the formation early in 1924 of the Kaipara Electric Power Board, an organisation planned to function primarily in the Helensville town and county areas. However, the Kaipara board never actually functioned, as the North Shore boroughs wished to be included in the scheme and. following their agitations, the Government requested that the new board’s operations should be extended to cover the whole of the North Shore boroughs. Agreeing with this proposal, Mr. Rimmer convened a conference, of which he was chairman. Taking place in July, 1924, it wras attended by representatives of the Waitemata County, town boards, and the North Shore boroughs. It was decided to form the present Waitemata Power | Board and, at a subsequent election, j Mr. J. W. Hayden, who was closely ! associated in the organising work with ! Mr. Rimmer, was appointed chairman. I Originally a miner, Mr. Rimmer had | been * farming at Te Pua for many years. Years ago he was secretary jto the Helensville Agricultural and I Pastoral Association, and he also held ! office as president for a term. He was prominent in Masonic circles at j Helensville, being a member of the i Duke of Albany Lodge. “Mr. Rimmer was an ideal type of local body man,” said an executive ; member of the Waitemata Power Board in paying his tribute this morn ing. “He entered into public work | with no desire for publicity, and tackled everything wholeheartedly. He was greatly admired and respected by i all of us and. although he was not a member of the hoard, be was always interested in its welfare snd ready to help actively.”