Children Play With Detonators

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 60, 12 March 1938, Page 4

Children Play With Detonators

TIPS OF FINGERS BLOWN OFF Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Through the explosion of a deloualoi with which he was playing, Robeit Turner, aged seven, elder child of Mr. and Airs. G. 'Turner, of {Swanson, had the tips of the thumb and first three fingers ot his left hand blown off. It is believed the boy applied a match to tlie detonator. Unusual circumstances surrounded tlie accident which occurred at the backdoor of the boy 's home. After a walk along the road the previous evening in company with his sister Elizabeth, agei live, the boy returned with a number of articles which he stated lie had found on the roadside. The father examined one and discovered it was a spent .22 cartridge shell. The others were, similar in shape and size and Turner concluded they would be harmless playthings. Actually he had examined only the empty cartridge shell among about eight live detonators. When they were milking, the parents heard an explosion, followed by cries, from the diiectiou of tho house. On investigation they found the two children near tho back door, the boy with his left hand badly injured and the girl with slight scratches on the legs. A number of detonators were on the ground and the remains of a matchbox which had been left inside the house were strewn about. The boy was subsequently removed to hospital.