DISTRESSING SHOOTING FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8146, 2 July 1906, Page 2

DISTRESSING SHOOTING FATALITY.

YOUNG M AN ACCIDENTALLY KILLED. - A distressing gun fatality occurred on Saturday afternoon, on a farm on the Pikan Road, about twelve miles north of Urenui, whereby a young man named Stanley Hart, aged 10 or 17 years (whose people reside in the Okato district) lost his life. From the particulars to hand it seems that Hart, accompanied by a young man named N. Riley, had been out shooting during the day. About •! o'clock they were returning home when young Hart got on to the trial of a pheasant. The bird got away but Hart left his gun at full-cock and walked over to where Riley was. The two young fellows stopped and were having a conversation, Hart standing on a log with his breast over tho muzzle of his gun. Apparently, in a fit of abstraction, Hart tapped his gun on the log, with the result that the hammer was jerked down, letting off the charge. The unfortunate man received the contents of one barrel through the lower part of tho breast bone, the charge lodging in the chest. Death was instantaneous.

Word was brought into Urenui, and Sergeant Haddrell, of New Plymouth, was acquainted with the accident, and a constable was despatnlied to investigate. The body was brought into Urenui.

An inquest was hold at tlie Urenui Hotel on Sunday afternoon. Constable Price, oE Wauara, conducted the inquiry. Dr Home, of New Plymonth, attended and examined the body. A verdict was returned that death was caused by a gunshot wound accidentally self-inflicted,