HORSE ROLLED ON RABBITER

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30393, 18 March 1964, Page 7

HORSE ROLLED ON RABBITER

Evidence At

Inquest

An inquest into the death of Austin Charles Hurndell was held at Waikari before the Coroner (Mr H. M. Searle). Hurndell had been employed by the Waitobe Rabbit Board as a rabbiter and at the time of his death was working on the Mount Whitnow Station owned by Mr lan William Calder. Evidence was given that Hurndell left the Mount Whitnow station homestead on January 13 with his horse and a foal at foot, accompanied by his dogs and with the intention of returning on January 17. When he had not returned by January 18, Constable W. A. Gregory was informed and a search party set out for the Seaward river on Eskhead property. About 6 a.m. on January 19 one of the searchers, Guy Manning, saw a dog on the edge of the river bank and found the body of Hurndell in some bushes at the foot of a bank in the river bed. Constable Gregory said that the riding saddle was lying across his chest and his shotgun was nearby. There was no sign of any struggle. A search of the bank did not reveal any marks apart from two places where stones and earth had been dislodged, but nothing consistent with a horse sliding down the bank. It would appear that Hurndell’s horse fell on him. Two straps on the saddle had been undone and the girth strap had been broken. It appeared that Hurndell had undone the straps while the horse was lying on top of him.

Witness was of the opinion that death had occurred late on the afternoon of January 13. Hurndell’s horse and foal were found on Eskhead property on January 18. The Coroner found that the cause of death was traumatic asphyxia caused by severe compression of the chest when Hurndell’s horse rolled on him.