The Invercargill Rocket Accident.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 100, 10 September 1901, Page 1

The Invercargill Rocket Accident.

HnrvfiltCAßGiUi, Septeniber""6. At'the Supreme C...urt Hugh w&« charged with manslaughter by firing a roOket in the street and culpably killing Nancy L- 3neyd.«. This is the case in which the .accused, who is captain of the s.e. luvereargill, brought the ship's signal rockers to ft platform orectad'in the imin strest of the town for a dsplay of firaworks on the occasion of the return tii troopers on July 12'.h. A rockot charged with powder a;jd gttncjtton was fi.-efe from a temporary socket whioh wall shattered by the primary charge, and thte rocket fell on a platform, where the guaoottoh exploded, and fragments of the m6»al c&ie kiilod Mrs Sueyd and injutefi more or lots sev. raly «ome nineteen persons. Mr Sinn,'for accused, admitted that'h'tfe a'ot caused tho Av.. man's death, but) argued that hal not Trooper Wright), who was on the plai.form, kicked the rocket where it Fell, Mrs Sneyd would not have been killed. On that ground cmnsel claimed an acquittal. It was also argued that the Reception Committee, with t'.ie Mayor at its head, had eraofed a pla -form for » fireworks display, and that the police had n-t objooteJ ; that accused was induced t> believe that letting of fireworks watt lawful. Aooused seemed to have though that he was taking sufficient care, as in firing he was likely to be in the position of groatefc danger. His Hooor said he intended to putffotffc issues before the jury, as a rerdiot of guilty Or not guilty might involve serious oonsequences to accused. The issues in •Vjffeot were :—(1) Was accused guilty ot an unlawful act? (2) Had he takete reasonable precaution, and had he used reasonable care to ovoid the danger of firing ft rocket to the best of his information ? (8) Was Wright guilty of aa unlawful act in kicking Hit rocket off the platform? (4) Was Mrs Sneyd kille-I fey the explosion of she roclet ? His H-jnor said the eeoond is«n«) was really the only one before the jury. Aftet three and a "quarter hours' deliberation the .jury returned Hffiruiative answers t« all issues except numVr 3, and hit Honor directed a verdict of guilty. Hi* Honor said the jury practically discharged the accused from the serious elements of the charge. Accused was wderei to come up foir sentence trhen<called upon.