SHOCKING AFFAIR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 305, 23 November 1932, Page 6

SHOCKING AFFAIR.

young man SHOT DEAD. tragedy on FOXTON farm. (From Our Own Correspondent.; FOXTON, Nov. A shocking shooting tragedy i. suiting in the death of a popui.nyoung Foxton resident occurred tho Oturoa soldiers’ settlement, about six miles south of Foxt.i:, on the Foxton-Levin mam highway, shortly before six o’clock last even lr *The victim was Mr Jack Easton, a single man, aged 20 years, ilia eldest son of Mr and. Mrs 'lt. Easton, of Foxton Road, Levin, and recently of Foxton.

Deceased had been on a visit to Lov.'n during the day, returning to hi 3 father’s farm in the afternoon with Mr C Arcus a neighbour, in the latter's car. On ’arrival there he commenced milking operations in company with his brother Roy, aged sixteen, and Ins father During the course of milking, and when only six cows remained m the yard, an argument is said to have occurred between tho tw o boys and Roy left the shed. The father and son con. tinued with the milking. After a few minutes the father ceased work to a* certain if his other son had left the farm on his cycle, when' he was startled by the report of a gun near at hand. He heard his eldest son call out and glancing round, saw him ri-.e from his stool and stagger to the cowbail fence. . , Mr Easton immediately went to tno assistance of his injured son who asked him to get a doctor. He collapsed on the sand outside the bails. The father immediately rushed over to Mr Arcus's house nearby, and summoned a doctor and the police from Levin. On the ar. rival of a doctor, however, life was found to be extinct. The police immediately commenced a search for the brother of deceased, but could not find him. They discovered_ a single barrel shotgun containing a dis. charged cartridge lying alongside a tank near the cowbails. Senior-Detective Quirke and Con* stable Compton motored from Palmer, ston North to the scene of the tragedy. Meanwhile, Constables Bagrie and Grainger, of Levin, had combed the bush and scrub land until dark without) discovering any sign of the boy. Con. stable Owen, of Foxton, also conducted a search of Foxton and precincts. In conversation with a “Standard” representative, Mr C. Windelev, an employee of Mr Arcus, stated that he met deceased in Levin during the after, noon in company with his fiancee, Miss N. Winiata, of Hokio. Together, they returned to the farm in Mr Arcus’s car and they were a particularly happy party. It had been arranged that Miss Winiata, Jack Easton, Mr Windelev and the latter’s fiancee should attend a picture theatre in Levin the following evening. Miss Winiata suggested that she slnJuld go over and help Jack Easton with the milking. She did not do so, however, staying at Mr Arcus's to help them in order that they should be able to go to the pictures that even, ing, and leave the young people free for the following evening. Jack Easton had his head down and was busily engaged, in milking when the tragedy occurred. The pellets from the charge • tore away the woodwork of a post in the line of fire, few, but unfortunately fatal ones, striking him in the chest and neck, while others penetrated the milk bucket. The un. fortunate lad sprang up and staggered to the yard fence where he collapsed after calling for assistance. He neves regained consciousness and died within ten minutes.

Roy Easton sustained a serious in* jury to his face when a youngster. He was watching his father feed a dog and went up to the animal which turned on him and tore his face badly, as a result of which he lost the sight of one eye.

The country in the vicinity of the tragedy is very desolate and covered in parts with bush and thick scrub. It was in the direction of the scrub that Roy Easton was last seen. The Manawatu River lies between the farm and Foxton, the other side of which is tho Whirokino district. The police to-day were engaged in a search of the district for Roy Easton who has been missing since the first incident in the cowshed.

A pathetic side to. the tragedy is that the eldest sister was only recently married and had just returned to tha farm to spend a short time with her parents. With her mother she attended a function in Foxton during the after* noon, arriving home just after th 4 'shooting tragedy. Mr and Mrs Easton are old and much respected residents of having resided •• here for many leaving Foxton only three months agd to engage in farming as it was found difficult to place the boys in wdrls locally. Mr Easton is a carpenter by occupation and had during the day been busy with his son Roy in building a house at Waiterere beach, returning just in time to engage in milking. The news of the tragedy cast a gloom over the whole district as do* ceased was a particularly bright and popular young man. The inquest on the deceased will bo formally opened at Levin to-morrow morning for the purpose of hearing evidence of identification.