TERRITORIAL ACCIDENTALLY SHOT

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3495, 3 November 1926, Page 9

TERRITORIAL ACCIDENTALLY SHOT

MILITARY INQUIRY HELD, [Per Press Association.] MASTBRTON, Last Night Tho official military Court of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death at Te Ore Ore j rifle range on Friday, of Private Mor--1 ris, of Greytown, concluded to-day, j and the evidence will be submitted to General Headquarters, which will decide whether the case is to go to court-martial. The Court comprised LtCoL J. H. Whyte (chairman), Major F. A, Wood and Captain 'A. Legge-Campbell. It vrfas stated in evidence that while a team of territorials were Bring the teams’ match, a noncommissioned officer, Sage, who was sitting on the ground behind the firing mound, turned round and accidentally placed his hand on a rifle (not his own) lying behind him. The weapon, which was loaded, discharged, and the bullet struck deceased. who was sitting on the slope above Sage. The latter immediately summoned the officer in charge of the firing point .and informed him that he. Sage, had shot Morris. He was unaware that the rifle was loaded. Morris expired a few minutes later, ■while first aid was being rendered. An Immediate inspection was made of all the rifles lying in the vicinity of the fatality, hut in each case the rifles were empty, and a discharged shell could not be found. It was also stated in evidence by the officers, non - commissioned officers, and trainees, that the regulations regarding the inspection of rifles after each squad had fired, had been rigidly carried out; that ammunition was supplied to the men only when they were ready on tho ■mound, and that all unexpended cartridges had been collected immediately the trainee had fired.

Captain Sugden, who was in charge of the musketry meeting) stated that he was satisfied that the officers in charge of the mound where the accident happened were acquainted with the duties' of range offior, and would see that they were properly carried •out in respect to inspection of arms before trainees left the firing-point. No evidence was adduced as to how the rifle, lying in what proved to be a dangerous position, came to be loaded.

Captain Sinclair, who was in charge of the mound behind which the accident occurred, declared that fhera was no horseplay or any attempt at horseplay on the range anywhere near the scene of the accident. The Coroner's inquest will be resumed to-morrow.