FARMER’S ILLFORTUNE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 16

FARMER’S ILLFORTUNE

Long Series of Mishaps By Telegraph—Press Association. Pahiatua, May 29. A Kouini farmer, Mr. Job Mabey, had a remarkable escape from death yesterday afternoon while engaged in splitting trees with the aid of a patent gun device. He had inserted the gun in a log and was about to light the fuse when suddenly there was a terrific explosion at his side which set fire to bis coat and burned his face, arms and wrists extensively. Mri Mabey’s son. who was standing beside him, eeaped the force of the explosion. He had his father taken to a doctor, who ordered his removal to hospital. At first it was believed that the gun had exploded prematurely, but an examination revealed that the charge was intact, and it is believed that Mr. Mabey inadvertently dropped a match or held one too close to an opened tin containing three pounds of blasting powder. The injured man and his family have been most unfortunate this year. Their home was damaged by the hurricane a few months ago when Mr. Mabey was hurled from the roof of a shed by the wind and received broken ribs. Then the house was burned down, and later both bis wife and daughter took ill and were sent to hospital. Mr. Mabey is now considered to be out of danger.