RIFLE BREACH BURSTS

Evening Star, Issue 18534, 17 January 1924, Page 7

RIFLE BREACH BURSTS

NEW YEAR’S EVE FATALITY. INQUEST CONCLUDED. The inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Agnes Sunderland, married, twenty-five years of age, who waa severely wounded in the chest at Carey’a Bay, Port Chaim its, on New Year’s Eve, through the explosion of a rifle, and who died in the Dunedin Hosp’tal on January 13, was continued tins macing before the coroner (Mr H. ,\V. Bundle, S.M.) Sub-inspector Eccles represented the police. Dr Perry, assistant medical officer, Dunedin Hospital, deposed that deceased was admitted to the hospital on January 1, about 8.50 a.m. Witness saw deceased about an hour later, when he found her in a state of collapse. There was a wound about half an inch long just beneath the left breast. Her condition was critical from the start. Deceased rallied from January 3 until the afternoon of January 12, when she began to sink. Witness was called and found, that her breathing was labored. Stimulants were applied, but Bhe died about 8.30 a.m. on January 13. At the subsequent post mortem it was found that the left lung was badly torn and was practically pulp. There was a piece of metal (which would fit into the breech of the gun produced), in the inner covering of the heart. The cause of death was pericarditis and heart failure following a wound in the chest. The deceased was a healthy woman. Eric M'Donald Sunderland said that; the rifle produced was his property. He used H on Wednesday, December 26, when it acted alright. It was partly cleaned and put away. Mr Stevenson put the cartridge in the gun on the night of the accident.

Charles Stevenson, laborer, residing at Carey’s Bay, said he fired off the rifle to celebrate the coming in of the new year. Ho loaded the rifle. Mrs Sutherland was Standing on his right on the verandah. When the rifle exploded he was struck by missiles on the chest and neck. Mrs Sutherland was removed to the cottage Hospital He examined the gun and found the breech had burst, and that a part of the cartridge was still in the breech. He could not account for the accident.

Archibald William Porteous, father of the deceased, said he was present at the time of the accident. He corroborated the previous witness’s evidence. Charles Edward Hazard, foreman-guns-smilh for Messrs A. W. M'Carthy, Limited, said he had had thirty-two years’ experience of guns. He had examined the rin question and was of opinion that vaa possible that the bolt-head was loose. He was satisfied that the bolt was closed. The cartridge had nothing to do with the explosion. The Coroner said that the evidence showed that on New Year’s Eve Sunderland and his family wore celebrating the occasion. Sunderland arranged to discharge a rifle. Ho was a man used to rifles, and handed the rifle and cartridges to Stevenson, who fired .the rifle. Unfortunately, it exploded and portion of the breech blew out. The exact cause was difficult to determine. Witness Hazard was unable to throw much light on the matter. It was one of those distressing things which occur at times. It was a pure accident. It was rather foolish to fire a live cartridge to make a noise. Blank cartridges should have been nsed. The verdict would bo that deceased died on January 13, at Dunedin, the caneo of death being pericarditis and heart failure, following wounds caused bv the accidental bursting of a rifle fired at Carey’s Bay on New Year’s Eve.