FATAL ACCIDENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 228, 24 January 1880, Page 3

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A sad accident happened at the ,Kaiwarra rifle range, Homebush Farm, ,on Saturday afternoon, resulting in the death, of one of the members of the . Kaiwarra Rifle Corps. A party con{isting of Captain Thompson, Lieutenant Cameron, Sub-Lieutenant Overend, and privates, D, Bruce and L. Chemis, V> re practising, and were firing at the 4,0 yards range s at the time of the accident. The marker at the butts was i. man named Francis Dona’d, a private in.the corps, and a labouring man. He had boon out of employment for some time,, and the coipa had employed him to do* certain work for them at the ,range. and also to mark when -squads iwere practising. It appears that Chemio was taking aim.at the target, the previous shot having been duly marked by Donald, and toe flag dropped. Just, however, ns Chemis was about to fire, the marker emerged from Hie .butts, without having previously displayed the red, or “ danger,” flap, which be carried in his hand. His object appeared to ,be to examine the target, though why ‘he desired to do so, the last shot had been marked, is a mystery. He was not observed until close to the target, when be was seen by Lieutenant .Overend, -who at once called out « Danger.” The warning was,however, given too late, for Chemis had already pressed the trigger, and the bullet of his rifle had already started upon what .proved to be a fatal mission. The bullet passed clean through the bead of Donald, and, singular to relate, it struck the target, scoring a centre, as. was observed by the blood on the target afterwards.' The whole party at once proceeded to the spot, and the unfortunate man was lying dead, the danger flag which he had been carrying being underhisbody. The bullet had struck him ■just under the right car. The deceased leaves a widow and five young c'ni dren totally unprovided for, and the distress of the poor woman thus suddenly deprived of her husband may he more easily imagined than described. The excitement in the township was intense. We understand that a subscription list was ■opened by Captain Thompson, and a good sum subscribed for deceased’s widow in a very short time, and this will no doubt be considerably enhanced before the body is consigned to its last resting place. Deceased will be buried with military honors. At the inquest a verdict of accidental death was returned ’—H.Z. Times.