ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 28 April 1925, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

. FATAL SHOOTING ACCIDENT. (BY 'TBLKGR.APH PKKH.S AtSSOGI Ai l < U'PALMERSTON N_, April 27. An inquest regarding the /circumstances, surrounding the death oi Thomas. Hedley, a telegraph linesman, of Rangiwahia, who died at the Hospital on April 20 following admission l'or the treatment of a bullet wound in the lung, received on Good 1< r.dav while shooting with others at ltaiigiwaliia. Dr. Forrest, medical superintendent at Palmerston North hospital, deposed that a pellet was lodged near the spine. Hie cause of death was septicaemia, ’following a gunshot wouno. John McLean, a blacksmith ot Rangiwahia, stated that on April lu he had been rabbit-shooting with deceased and one other. Witness had a Winchester repeating rifle, and after shooting -over the country' shot at a target. Witness proceeded to unload the rifle, and when he thought it was empty he closed the breech, out the rifle went off unexpectedly. Deceased apparently walked over to the front of the muzzle when the firearm went off. Deceased was standing on a rise above witness when he received the shot. Witness eojild not account .for failing to notice the cartridge in the breech. He thought he must have pulled the trigger thinking the rifle was unloaded. 'a Tlie coroner’s verdict ( was, that the deceased died from septicaemia, resulting from a bullet wound accidentally inflicted by John McLean, near Rangiwahia. SWALLOWED HIS DENTAL PLATE. DUNEDIN, April 27. James Robertson, aged 55, residing at Port Chalmers, was admitted to hospital op Saturday on account or having swallowed his dental plate. He Was beinrr operated on yesterday when he died while under the anaesthetic. AUCKLAND CASUALTY LIST.

AUCKLAND, April 27

Benjamin. Crawford, a married man with, five children, was found dead in bed at liiis home to-day. A gas tube from a jet was near him. At the inqueslt to-night a verdict of death due to suffocation, from poisoning, vselfadministered while in A state of depression, was g, returned. A fishimg party was capsized jn the Rangitoito channel by ,a isudden., gust of wind and the seven occupants thrown; into the water. One of them, who was asleep in, the cabin, just escaped before the yacht sank. W>th the exception of -one all were good swimmers, and he was supported by the stern, of the dinghy, ail that remained awash, till tiie party v. a« picket up by a launch ten minutes later. In a collision between two tram-cars bound in the same direction in Symo-nds Street, Miss Edith, Cochrane, aged 65, a passenger in the act of alighting from the car in front, was thrown on the road and sustained broken, ribs. The platform of the overtaking coir' wais completely smashed and the motionna.iii and another sustained aibra-iioos on the face* kind wrist. The other oar was practically, undamaged. BUY GORED BY BULL. GISBORNE, April 2S. ; James Knightly, aged 1-5, who lived at Buslnnere, was seriously gored by a bull, a horn penetrating his chest. He also sustained a gash in the thigh and internal injuries. .He was removed to hospital in a critical condition.