SHOOTING ACCIDENT

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1940, Page 3

SHOOTING ACCIDENT

WOUND FROM SHOT GUN YERDICT AT WAITARA

At the adjourned inquest into the death of Lawrence Maxwell McGregor, Uruti, which was concluded at Waitara this morning, before Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., district coroner, a verdict was returned in accordance with the medical and other evidence that the deceased died as the result of accidentally shooting himself while handling a shot gun. The coroner added that the evidence showed the care needed in the handling of shot guns, especially of the hammer type. . Constable F. Lemm conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police. Mr. St. L. Reeves apeared on behalf of the relatives of the deceased, and Mr. G. Macallan for his employers. McGregor was manager of a farm at Pehu, near Uruti, and on the morning of August 31 he went out with his brother to destroy a wild boar, and after returning from this he was shot by the accidental discharge of a shot gun, while he was endeavouring to lift it from a cart in which it had been placed, while he was sitting on his horse. Medical Evidence. Dr. R. L. G. Barclay, who examined the body of McGregor, said he had apparently died from shock and haemorrhage from a gunshot wound in the neck. He was of opinion that the gun had been discharged at close quarters. t in William Clarence Bevin, a boy or lu years, said McGregor and his brother came to their place for a cup of tea, and McGregor, who had left his gun in a cart at the gate, said he had a cartridge iammed in the gun and he was gomg to get it out when he got home. He saw deceased go to the cart at the gate and reach down from his horse to get something. He then saw a puff of smoke and heard the report of a .gun shot, and the deceased then fell from his horse.

Brother's Statement. Thomas A. McGregor said he and his brother had been out to kill wild pigs which were troubling the lambing ewes. He knew a cartridge had become 33"1" med in the barrel of the shot gun, but his brother said he would get it out when he got back home. When they j went to Bevins he left the gun m a cart at the" gate. He rode away from Bevins ahead of his brother, but when some distance away he heard a report of a gun. and on going back he found his. brother seriously wounded lying on the ground. He was sure the gun was not cocked when placed on the cart. Witness sent for the police and a doctor. A report on the condition of the gun, which was produced was submitted by an examining arms officer, who said it was of the hammer-lock type and was in a somewhat neglected condition. It had peculiarities which, if not known to a user, might be a source of danger The witness stated the gun was kept in deceased's washhouse. He was in the habit of hand-loading his own cartndges. Witness did not know if the gun had been loaded for some time before gomg out on the morning of the accident. In answer to Mr. Reeves the witness said it was the duty of his brother, as manager of the farm on which he was employed, to destroy wild pigs which cnused considerable losses among the sheep. Their pig hunting on that day was not a picnic expedition. To Mr. Macallan: His brother had owned the gun about five or six years and had frequently useu it. They shot a boar on the morning of the accident. His brother was in his usual state of health when they had tea at Bevins. To Mr. Reeves: Most of the travelling about over the farm was done on horse - b Constable F. Lemm described the condition of deceased's body and the extent of the wound, when he saw it in the afternoon. He corroborated the evidence as to the condition of the gun. Campbell L. Rigg, farmer, Uruti, gave the formal evidence of identification oi the body of McGregor.