HAND BLOWN OFF

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 137, 13 June 1939, Page 11

HAND BLOWN OFF

GELIGNITE EXPLODES

DALMATIAN'S ORDEAL

In attempting to frighten a shark by exploding a plug of gelignite, John Cuianavich, a Dalmatian from the Ahipara gumfields, had one of his hands blown off at Ninety-Mile Beach on Sunday, states the "New Zealand Herald" of today. In great pain. Mr. Cuianavich walked back to his shack on the gumfields, where a motor-car was secured to take him to the Mangonui County Hospital.

With a companion, Mr. Cuianavich left the gumfields, at the southern end of the.Ninety-Mile Beach, to go fishing. When they reached the beach shortly after 11 o'clock, they saw a large shark, which they estimated to be between 16ft and 18ft in length, cruising off the shore.

The presence of the shark made it impossible for them to go into the water to net fish, and Mr. Cuianavich, who had a plug of gelignite, decided to use it to frighten the shark away. He prepared a fuse and waited until the shark was within about 12ft of him, expecting that it would continue steadily on its course.

Mr. Cuianavich then lit the fuse from his cigarette, and stood by waiting for the shark to pass. At the last moment, however, the shark turned suddenly and went in another direction. In his surprise, Mr. Cuianavich held on to the stick of gelignite too long and it exploded, blowing his hand off.

To stop the bleeding, Mr. Cuianavich's companion applied a tourniquet. Mr. Cuianavich later received attention at the Mangonui County Hospital.