SHOOTING TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1938, Page 9

SHOOTING TRAGEDY

FATALITY AT PARKVALE VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH A verdict of accidental death was returned by the District Coroner, Mr E. G. Eton, in the Carterton Police Court yesterday, when the inquest on Wembley William Goodin, aged 13 years, son of Mr and Mrs Herbert Goodin, Park Road, Carterton, was concluded. On July 3, Goodin was one of a party of nine young people who, armed with pea-rifles, that went shooting on Mr H. E. Ward’s property at Parkvale. The party divided into two and separated, and from a distance of some 300 yards one member of the party, William Winskell Rugby Kirkwood, aged 17, of Wellington, discharged his rifle at a target. The bullet flew wide and entering the chest of Goodin, killed him.

Victor Goodin, brother of the victim, in a written statement described what had happened. His evidence was corroborative of that given previously. Expert evidence was also given in regard to the rifle and its capabilities.

The Coroner added that it was a great pity that people generally did not realise the dangerous nature of ithe so-called pea-rifle, which had an effective range up to a mile. He. thought, also, that it was a duty on parents to see that their children did not go out with other boys and girls on shooting parties. In the present instance there was one youth of twenty, and the ages of the others ranged from 17 years down to the deceased lad, 13 years. He sincerely hoped that the present sad case would provide a warning against the indiscriminate use of pearifles. The sympathy of the Court went out to the parents of the lad.