SHOCKING FATALITY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 6 March 1913, Page 5

SHOCKING FATALITY.

A MASTER-TON RESIDENT MEETS A TRAGIC END. SHOT WHILE PIG-HUNTING. Mr Robert James Ewington, of Masterton, son cf the late JVlr James; Ewington, came to his death in a. tragic manner, while pig-shooting in the Lower Valley on Tuesday last. The deceased, in company with MrWilliam Harding, left on Sunday for Pirinoa, where it was proposed t» spend several days in shooting. They went to a camp on Messrs Pain and Sutherland's property, about eight miles from Pirinoa. They put in a* full day's shooting on Monday, and went out again early on Tuesday morning, each being armed with a. breech-loader. They had lunch about 12.30, and left camp again about oneo'clock, travelling for several miles in the back country. On their .return journey, the deceased fired at and hit a pig. As the animal continued torun the deceased . reloaded 'his gun. The pig, howovev, had been mortally wounded, and fell. Harding proposed. that they should take a portion of the* pig to the camp, v and proceeded tocut off its head. While he was at work on the pig he heard a report from behind, and the deceased exclaimed. "Good God, Bill, I've shot myself!" Harding immediately went to the assistance of hi s obmrade, and asked him how the thing had happened, but received no reply. Ho saw, however, that the deceased bad been shockingly wounded in the lowerportion of the body, and that his. right leg was badly shattered. Ha. •carried him on his shoulders to a stream near by, whore he bandaged up his wounds as best he could. Harding then left for assistance. As he •parted-from his comrade, the deceased said, "I'll never see you again! Goodbye, Bill!" Harding hurried to the* camp, where he found a man named Fletcher, to whom he communicated the news of the calamity. Fletcher proceeded to tlie seen© of the accident, and two other men followed him. Meanwhile Harding procured a horse from a surveyor's camp, and proceeded to Mr Holmes Warren's, where a telephone message was sent for a doctor. On his return about eight o'clock in the evening, Harding met a livuittber of men carrying the deceased down to tho' camp. He was then in an unconscious condition, and passed away about 10.45 o'clock, not long after arriving at the camp. The Martmborough doctor reached the camp at about midnight, but could do nothing. Mr J. C Ewington, a brother of the deceased, was informed of the fatality by telephone late on Tuesday evening, and proceeded to the spot as quickly as possible. The body of the deceased was brought to Masterton yesterday afternoon, and an inquest will be held this morning. The late Mr Ewington was thirtyfive years of age, and was highly respected. He leaves a widow and a young family of two girl s and three boys, to whom much sympathy will be extended in their sudden bereavement. The brothers of the deceased are Messrs J. C. H. L., and C. A. Ewington.