A TARIKI FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 218, 14 March 1914, Page 3

A TARIKI FATALITY.

[ HOY SHOT. AT HORT!i'UI/ri;;tAL SHOW. A distressing shooting accident occurred at Tariki at about 9 p.m. on Thursday, by which Wilfred Arundell James, aged 14% years, the son of Mr. Jo3eph Robert James, of Surrey road, Tariki, kit hid life. An inquest was opened at New Plymouth yesterday morning before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., district coroner, but the only evidence taken was that of the father of the boy, who was not present when the accident occurred. The inquest was adjourned, pending medical and other evidence.

A brother of the deceased boy, in conversation with a News' representative, stated that he and his brother -were at the Tariki Horticultural show om Thursday evening. Outside the hall where the Bhow was being held was an improvised shooting prallcry, which was attracting considerable attention. Young James stated that his deceased brother was, as far as he knew, running about near the range when he suddenly fell down amongst the group of young fellows who were watching the shooting. IHb brother wa3 informed of the occurrence, but on his arrival imagined that the boy had merely fainted, as there was no mark of any injury. The deceased boy was carried to the house of another brother, and as he did not recover, medical aid w s summoned from Inglewood, when on examination a bullet wound was discovered in the abdomen. The bov was taken to the Hew Plymouth hospital, where he died. His brother also stated that the only protection which bystanders had from the bullets of the marksmen was that of a box, filled with earth and placed behind the target. This box. he said, had been found to be riddled with holes, and he could only surmise that the deceased bov had been running behind it when he was shot. The weapon used was an ordinary Lee-Enfield magazine rifle, containing a Morris tube, which takes bullets of the calibre of a revolver. The barrel of the Lee-Enfield would of course make the carrying powers far beyond those of a pea rifle, despite the insertion of the Morriß tube.

Joseph Robert James, o* Surrey road, Tariki, farmer, identified the body in the New Plymouth morgue as that of his son, Wilfred Arundel James. He la3t saw his son alive at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, when he left home to go to his work at the Tariki --ost office. At about 9 o'clock on the same evening it was reported to witness that an ac«ident had happened to his son at the Tariki Horticultural show. Witness next saw deceased at the residence of another son of his, London James, at Tariki. Dr. Nutting, of Inclewdod, attended deceased and ordered his removal to the New Plymouth hospital. Witncs3 took deceased in a motor car to Inglewoqd, and then in another car to New Plymouth. He arrived at Hospital at about 1 a.m. yesterdav. His son was aged 14% yearß. This was the only evidence available and the inquest was adjourned sine die.