THE RANGAWAEA FATALITY.

Taihape Daily Times, 24 January 1919, Page 4

THE RANGAWAEA FATALITY.

CORONER'S INQUEST. An inquest on the body of the boy,. Frank Chcnncls Awdry, who met with a fatal accident at Rangawaea on Tuesday last, was held yesterday a - j ternoon before Mr. J. P. Aldridgc, coroner. Dr. Sinclair deposed that he made a post-mortem examination on'the .bod; > of the deceased, F. C." Awdry,, ana found a small lacerated wound on the-* chest on. the,left side, which had penetrated the sixth rib and entered the lower lobe of the lung, resulting in much intestinal hemorrhage occupying the left side of the chest, and dis- | placing the heart. The hemorrhage was enough to cause death. The injury had been caused by a sharp pointed instrument. Ho considered this was the cause of death. Witness had seen ! a knife which was found alongside the body, and considered the blow was accidental, probably caused by the b. tripping and falling on the open blace He should say the boy uTed in about half an hour of meeting with the accident.

F. A. Awdry stated lie was the father of deceased. Was a contractor, working at Rangawaea. During the holidays deceased was living with Trim. Last saw him alive on Tuesday evening, just before dark. He was then playing with some pups. Did not miss the boy until it was actually dark, and thought it was time "for him to come in. Seeing the pups come horn? without him he got a bit anxious, and went out and called him, but receiving no answer he started out to search for him, and kept doing so until daybreak, but it was just on 3.30 a.m. when he found him. The boy was lying fiat on the ground with his fore head resting osr the crook of his elbow. He looked as though he was asleep, quite naturally. He picked him up and carried him into the tent and laid him on the bunk. He. first noticed the blood on his shirt. He had a J-iife, which he bought. It was about three months since he came into camp. He was always in good health and hearty.

Constable Sheahan deposed that he went to Rangawaea and saw deceased. There was - blood on the front of his shirt. Witness found a small incision in the region of the heart. There were no other marks of violence: He made a careful examination of the ground in the vicinity of the place where the body was found, and saw no marks of a struggle. There was nothing io~Wd him to believe deceased died other than by accidental injury. A verdict of accidental death was returned.